What We Did Before
by CalisaTenn
Summary: "But you've known him since you were both very little. You should know better than to fret about him!" Link and Zelda live in Skyloft, a strange little island in the sky. They've known each other since they were five years old and have always looked out for one another. This is the story of what their life was like, and what they did before fate intervened and their world changed
1. That Time When They Were Five

**That Time When They Were Five**

Link was five years old, and he loved looking at the sky. He loved watching the fluffy clouds roll by and naming the shapes they made. He loved watching colors of the sunset and matching them with the colors of the flags that hung throughout the village. He loved the storms, the stars, and the brave knights who circled the island he called home. His father was one of those knights.

Every morning, his father would put on a blue tunic and a white mask with a red Loftwing on it. He would ruffle Link's hair, kiss his mother goodbye, then walk out the door for his daily patrols. Link would wait until he was at the bottom of the hill before sneaking out of the bedroom window to follow him. He'd hide behind bushes and benches, watching his father say good morning to merchants heading to the bazaar. When his father got to the large wooden platform at the end of the plaza, he would start running. Link would start running too.

It didn't matter how many times he saw it, Link was _always_ a little frightened when his father leapt over the edge. He would hold his breath until he heard the high-pitched whistle that summoned his father's grey Loftwing. The Loftwing would come out of nowhere to save his father and they'd both sail into the clouds. Link would race around the Light Tower and wave frantically at them. His father would look surprised to see him and wave back, then Link would laugh because he _knew_ he'd gotten him again.

"In two years, you'll get your _own_ Loftwing," his mother told him one morning as she put him in the bath. "What color do you want?"

"A g-grey one like dad's," Link said quickly. He loved the grey Loftwing almost as much as he loved his father. His mother's loft wing was green and it was always _nice_ to Link, but the grey Loftwing was a _knight's_ Loftwing. It was brave, and strong, and it always picked Link up by the back of his shirt and lifted him to places he couldn't climb yet.

"Wh-why do I have to t-take a bath n-now?" he asked as his mother scrubbed his hair. Usually he took baths at the end of the day after he'd played outside by the back of the house. It was barely after breakfast, and Link hadn't even _been_ outside yet, so it wasn't like he was dirty. He scrunched up his face as his mother poured water over his head.

"Because we're going to The Academy to look around," she explained. "You keep saying you want to be a knight- "

"I _do_!"

"Well, then, we'd better make sure you have a spot," she explained. "There are a lot of children your age, Link. The Headmaster told us your class could be quite large. Maybe you'll make some friends while we're there."

Link nodded, wiping water off his face. He didn't have many friends. After he watched his dad take off, he would play outside behind his house while his mother mended clothes for people in the village. He always went with her when she dropped things off, so he'd met a few other children that way, but he had trouble remembering names and he was a little shy.

There was a boy a year older than him who lived down the hill, but he always played with the brother and sister that lived across the bridge. There was another boy who lived a few houses away from Link, but he was just as shy as Link was, so that didn't work out. A girl with reddish hair lived at the back of the village in the green house, but she played with the girl who lived in the house right under the bazaar. Link had seen a pair of boys one day in the plaza, but when he had asked to play, the big one made fun of his stutter. He left after that and didn't try to make friends with anyone again.

His father took a break from patrols a little bit later, and they walked the long path from their house up to The Academy. Link was dressed in an itchy blue tunic that matched his father's, and his mother had made him brush his hair, but he didn't mind _too_ much; he was too excited to mind. He'd never been inside The Knight Academy before and was anxious to look around.

The students all seemed very big to Link, some of them wore chainmail and tunics just like his dad's. Some of them even had swords on their backs. His dad had a sword, and Link had held it a few times, but he'd never swung it. His dad let him swing the wooden ones around, though. Most of the students were in the cafeteria when they arrived. Link only peeked in, not wanting to bother anyone. A few people waved at his father and mother, but he didn't know who they were.

The Headmaster was upstairs waiting for them. Link knew his name was Gaepora, and he was the one who decided who would be allowed into The Academy and began training for knighthood. Link hung behind his father a bit, fiddling with a blue necklace his mother had made him. When he found pretty rocks around the village, she saved them for him and said one day they'd make them into a necklace or earring's like his dad's. He watched his father shake hands with the headmaster; both of them were smiling.

"It's good to see you Orel, Larke. It's been far too long," the headmaster was saying. "I don't think I've spoken with either of you since the Wing Ceremony last year."

"No, we've been busy, and I'm sure you have as well," his father replied.

"Yes, we keep busy, that is certain. We've had good number of students these past years, which has kept us all on our toes," the headmaster said thoughtfully. He was very tall with great, bushy eyebrows and looked like the owl in the storybook Link's mother read to him. Link wondered if that meant he was wise, though he thought the Headmaster looked a little scary. He took hold of his father's hand.

"I can imagine," his father agreed. "You have some strong knights coming up, though. That Eagus is quite the swordsman."

"Yes, he is," the headmaster said with a deep laugh. "He won't graduate for another three years, but I'm putting the idea in his head now that he should come back to be Knight Commander when Rusta retires. But enough about that, we can get into details later. I don't think I've seen your boy since he was just a toddler…"

"I don't think so either," Link's father said, shunting him forward. "This is our Link."

Link swallowed, watching the Headmaster kneel down to talk to him. His father wrapped an arm around Link's shoulders and patted him on the chest. Link reached a shaky hand forward.

"It's good to meet you, Link" the headmaster nodded, shaking Link's hand. "That's a good, strong name. Do you want to be a knight someday?"

Link just nodded, trying to push his voice forward. He had trouble with this sometimes; the words just didn't come like he wanted them too. It worried his mother a lot. Right now, it looked like it was worrying her, so Link took a big breath and summoned all his courage. "Y-yes, Sir," he replied quietly.

"Well, why don't you have a look around while I talk to your parents?" the headmaster offered, gesturing to a large room behind where his mother was standing. "This is the classroom, and there are plenty of books for you to look at in there. Just make yourself at home and we'll come to get you in a bit."

Link nodded, lingering at the doorway while his parents went with Gaepora the Headmaster into the room next door. He could hear them laughing, and laughter usually meant good things, so he went into the classroom to look around.

There _were_ lots of books on the shelves, but there were very few with pictures in them, so he ended up putting most of them back after flipping through the pages. His mother had been teaching him to read, but these were all words he'd never seen or too big for him to sound out. Some of them were written in strange letters Link didn't recognize. They must be very important. He decided not to touch them anymore.

There was a board at the front of the room and chalk on a little ledge, so Link walked up front and started drawing. He liked to draw, and he started drawing the cloud barrier that was under their island all along the bottom of the board. Then, he drew a pair of Loftwings flying above it. He'd just gotten halfway through the second bird when someone gasped behind him.

"You're not supposed to draw on the board," someone said quietly.

Link whirled around, cheeks hot, and saw a girl with sun-colored hair staring back at him. She was wearing a pink tunic and her eyes were narrowed suspiciously at Link. "Only the _Instructors_ are supposed to use the board," she told him.

Link dropped the chalk, dusting his hands off on his pants and looking around for an eraser. The girl walked closer to him, her jaw set at a funny angle. She opened her mouth to say something more, then paused when she saw what he had drawn. Her eyes widened a little.

"That's… that's _really_ good," she said, a little surprised. "Did _you_ draw that?"

Link looked around, he was the only one in the classroom so _obviously_ he drew it, but he wasn't going to tell her that. She continued to stare at him, looking confused by his silence. "Did you draw it or not?"

Link nodded.

The girl smiled then and walked closer to him. "It's really good! I like the clouds. I think we should leave it up. My dad always tells me not to write on the board, but I don't draw anything like _that_ ," she said, pouting a little. "Do you draw a lot?"

Link nodded again, which seemed to irritate the girl for some reason. She made a noise and crossed her arms. "Can't you _talk_?"

"I… c-can," he said in a small voice.

"Why are you so quiet?" she asked, sounding frustrated.

Link pouted and fidgeted with the bottom of his shirt, "Wh-why are y-you so l-loud?"

She gasped and scrunched up her face, putting her hands on her hips. "I'm not _loud_. _You_ just aren't _talking_ ," she said angrily. Link stepped back, he thought she sounded rather bossy.

The girl folded her arms and glared at him for a minute before relaxing her face. "Henya says I talk too much, but I just have a lot to say! Is _that_ why you don't talk? Don't you have anything to say?"

Link shrugged, scuffing his shoes on the floor. He kind of wished the girl would leave him alone.

"Are you here because your parents are here?" she asked, watching him nod. "Do you want to be a knight?" Link nodded again. "Well, knights _have_ to talk, so you're gonna have to get over that. I could help you."

Link looked up at her. Her hair was in two braids on the sides of her head, some little pieces were hanging in front of her ears the same way everyone's did. She was smiling at him now even though her arms were still crossed. He swallowed. "Wh-why would you h-help m-me?"

"Why not?" she asked with a shrug. "You look nice. You can draw really well, and I like your blue shirt."

Link tugged at it, smiling a little. "Th-thanks."

She walked forward and held out her hand proudly. "My name is Zelda."

Link held his out, bracing himself when she took it and gave it a rather hard shake. "I'm Link."

" _Ooh_! _You_ aren't named after a _bird_ ," she grinned. "It seems like _everyone_ is named after a bird except me. My dad just saw my name in a book and picked it out."

"Oh," Link said. He'd never given his name much thought beyond spelling it.

"Do you want a cookie?" she asked. Link nodded, a little excited now. "Henya always has cookies. She only lets the students have them on holidays, but she _always_ has them. Come on, I can get you one."

Link followed, though he didn't really have much of a choice because she took his hand and dragged him down the stairs. A few students gave them curious looks when they passed, some of them laughed a little. Link felt embarrassed, but Zelda walked right by them and into dining area like she owned the place.

"Hey, Little Zelda!" a large knight with funny shaped beard shouted at her when she passed. Zelda smiled and continued walking, dragging Link behind her. They walked behind the stove and she began looking inside cupboards and drawers, making frustrated noises as she did. She stood on her tiptoes to try and see on top of the counter, but she wasn't quite tall enough. Link wasn't either, so he couldn't help much, but if they worked _together_ …

"H-here," he said, kneeling down onto the floor. Zelda looked a little confused at first, but caught on quickly and stepped up onto his knee. Link held onto her feet to balance her. She was heavier than he expected, and he strained a little bit, flinching when her shoes dug into his thigh.

"I don't see them up _here_ ," she muttered. "But she _always_ has them, we just have to find out where-"

" _What_ are you _doing_?" someone snapped.

Link yelped and tried to run away, which just ended up knocking both of them over. He landed uncomfortably on his shoulder while she landed right on her backside. Link knew his face was bright red and he hid behind his hands. The woman standing over him was much older than his mother with hair that looked like wings on the side of her head. She had her arms crossed and her mouth was a flat line as she looked down at them.

" _Zelda_ ," she scolded, reaching down to help the girl up. "How many times have I told you to _not_ sneak around in the kitchen?"

"We just wanted a snack," Zelda replied, dusting herself off. She took Link by the shoulder and pulled him up, keeping her arm hooked through his when he stood. "This is Link. _He's_ going to be a knight someday."

The woman looked over him a little scornfully. "Not if he steals food, he won't," she said. Link just stared at the floor.

"We aren't _stealing_ ," Zelda said, putting her hands on her hips. "I _live_ here; it's not stealing if I live here."

The woman glared at them for a moment, then smiled a little and sighed while reaching up into one of the high cupboards. Zelda grinned widely and squeezed Link's arm while he stared at the jar of cookies she held out to them.

"I suppose that's true," the woman mused. "And I _suppose_ a couple of cookies won't hurt. The both of you look too skinny, and if _you're_ going to be a Knight, you're going to need to put on some weight," the woman said. Link took two cookies from the jar like Zelda had, but then the woman handed him a third. She gave him a little wink before turning her mouth back into a frown.

"You need to eat them in _here_. If the students on janitorial duties have to sweep up crumbs I'll hear about it for days," she said more to Zelda than Link.

"Thanks, Henya," Zelda said brightly, motioning for Link to follow her. They sat down at a table in the very back of the cafeteria, Link across from Zelda. He just stared at his cookies while she dove right into hers.

"Y-you _l_ - _live_ here?" he asked, a little awed.

" _Mm-hmm_ ," she confirmed through a mouthful of cookie. "My _father_ is the Headmaster." Zelda sounded very proud of this. It made Link feel a little nervous for some reason.

"My parents are t-talking to him right n-now."

"They're sure taking a long time. Usually he only talks to people for a little bit. Maybe they know each other," she said thoughtfully.

By the time Link started to eat his second cookie, Zelda had already finished both of hers. She started looking around the room as though she was bored. Link didn't see how she could ever be bored when she lived at The Knight Academy. He looked at the third cookie the old woman had given him, then broke it in half and gave part of it to Zelda. She looked very surprised, then gave him a big smile.

"Thank you, Link!" she gushed. Link just nodded. He wondered if she ever had anyone to play with.

A taller man with brown hair sat down next to her then, and Zelda slid over a little on her seat to give him room. He was wearing a red scarf around his neck, and he folded his arms on the table while looking at Zelda with an amused expression.

"What are you doing, Little Zelda?"

"Eating cookies," she said.

"I can see that," the man laughed softly.

"This is my friend, Link," Zelda said, gesturing to Link across the table.

The man looked him over, smiling a little. "How are _you_ , Link?"

Link swallowed his cookie and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "I-I'm fine."

"I'm Horwell," he said, offering his hand. Link shook it a little awkwardly. He sure was shaking hands a lot today. "How is your dad doing?" Horwell asked.

Link froze, confused. Thankfully, Zelda responded for him.

"Do you _know_ his _father_?" she asked, sounding a little shocked.

" _Everyone_ knows his father," the man laughed. "Orel is a Senior Rescue Knights, Zelda. You've seen him before, plenty of times."

"Which one is he?" she asked, turning back to Link.

"H-he's got a blue tunic and a grey Loftwing," Link said. "H-his mask has a red Wingcrest on it."

"He's got hair so blonde it's almost white, Zelda," Horwell added.

"Oh, _he's_ the knight with the ear jewels!" said Zelda, pinching her own earlobes. "I didn't know _he_ was your dad. _That's_ why they're taking so long. I see him around all the time, why have I never seen _you_ before?" she asked Link, sounding a little disappointed.

Link shrugged. "I l-live under the hill behind the old tree," he said. "I-I help my m-mom with the clothes."

"Huh," said Zelda, chewing the last bit of cookie. She wiped her hands and made a funny face.

"Something wrong?" the man named Horwell asked.

"I'm thirsty. Are you thirsty?" she asked Link, watching him shrug. "I don't know about you, but I've had a long day and I am ready for a _drink_."

This made Horwell laugh and he nodded, getting up from his seat and walking back to the kitchen. A few seconds later, he returned with glasses of juice for them both. Link said, " _thank you"_ very quietly, and Horwell gave him a warm smile.

After they finished their juice, Zelda showed him to her room. "It's also my father's room, but this is my bed," she said, indicating the small bed in the corner. "These are all my books. _OH_! You should have this one," she said, handing him a white book that had drawings of knights on the cover. It was called _The Knights of Skyloft._

"You should read that since you're going to be a knight," Zelda added before handing him a piece of paper and some crayons. "Can you draw another Loftwing? Like you did on the chalkboard?" she asked.

Link nodded and set the book on his lap, placing the paper on top of it and starting to draw a grey bird like his father's. Zelda didn't do any coloring. She just sat next to him and watched. He was just finishing it up when the headmaster walked in the door.

"Oh, I should have known," he said, laughing a little. "He's in here, Orel."

Link looked up and Zelda did the same. His parents walked in behind Gaepora, both looking relieved to see him. "We knew he wouldn't have gone _too_ far," Orel said. "But still, you should have stayed in the classroom, Link."

Link swallowed. "I… I-I was-"

" _I_ found him," Zelda interrupted, sounding a little bossy again. "He was drawing on the chalkboard and I told him that he _shouldn't_ do that, but he drew a pretty picture of clouds and a Loftwing. I thought it was neat, so I said we should leave it up. It was _really_ good, don't let them erase it, Daddy."

Link's father laughed a little and his mother smiled, an amused look on her face. Gaepora sighed. "This is Zelda," he informed them, gesturing to Zelda, who sat up straighter and smiled brightly.

Link's mother grinned. "It's nice to meet you, Zelda. I see you two are coloring?"

"Link is. I'm just watching. Do you see the Loftwing he's drawing? It's really good. Does he draw like that all the time?"

"He does. Link likes drawing very much," his mother said kindly before turning back to Zelda's Father and dropping her voice. "Gae, she looks _just_ like Aya. I can't believe it."

Zelda's father nodded. Link noticed he looked rather sad. Zelda hadn't mentioned her mother and Link wondered where she was.

"What else did the two of you do?" Zelda's father asked.

"I took him to the kitchen and Henya gave us cookies," she explained. "Horwell gave us juice, then we came up here. I'm giving Link my book on the Knights of Skyloft because _he's_ going to be a knight."

"Is that so?" said Gaepora.

"Of course, it is!" Zelda said as though this should be perfectly obvious. "You'd better let him in, Daddy," she threatened. "Everyone knows his father. He's a _Senior_ Rescue Knight, Horwell said!"

"Oh, well… in _that_ case," Zelda's father laughed.

"I suppose we should be going," Link's mother said, holding out her hand. "Gaepora has a lot of things to do and I'm sure Zelda does as well."

Link jumped up and rushed over to her, noticing that Zelda frowned a little when he did. He looked at the piece of paper in his hand.

"Y-you can have this," he said, handing her the Loftwing drawing.

Her eyes went wide. They were really big, Link thought. She looked very surprised that he was giving her his drawing and Link wondered again if she ever had anyone to play with.

" _Really_?" Zelda asked, taking the piece of paper from him.

"Yeah," he said. "I-I've got a lot of them at h-home."

" _Thank you_ , Link!" she gushed, rushing forward and hugging him tightly. Link stiffened, then put his arm around her and squeezed a little. When Zelda released him, Link felt his mom squeeze his hand gently and pull him towards the door. He waved bye to Zelda as they walked out of The Academy.

"Did you have fun playing with Zelda?" his father asked when they got outside.

Link considered this. It _had_ been nice to have a cookies and juice, and he liked that she talked a lot. He also liked that she thought he could draw well. It had been nice of her to give him her book; he was excited to read it. Even though it hurt, it was _kind_ _of_ fun when she crawled on top of him to look for the cookies. He was glad when they hadn't gotten in trouble.

"I had fun," he said, deciding that he liked playing with Zelda.

" _See_?" said his mother cheerfully. "It's nice to make friends, Link. I bet you'll get to know a lot more kids if you go around the village during the day."

Link swallowed. "But wh-who will help with th-the clothes?"

His mother laughed a little and put her arm around his shoulders, squeezing gently. "I'm sure I will manage."

Link nodded. "Are we going h-home? It's been a long day, and… I-I'm ready for a _drink_ ," he said, making his parents laughed the same way Horwell had when Zelda said that.

Three days later, Link's mother woke him up very early. Or, at least, it felt that way to Link, who sometimes went back to sleep after watching his father leave for patrol.

"Hey, sleepyhead," she said gently. "Little Zelda is here. She wants to know if you want to come out and play?"

Link sat up, blinking a little. "Can I have breakfast first?"

"Of course you can," she said, giving him a kiss on the forehead. She stood up from his bed and let him get dressed. Zelda was sitting at his table when he came out from behind the little wall that hid their bedroom.

"You were still _asleep_? It's almost _nine!_ "

Link chewed his lip. "It's early."

Zelda laughed. "I'm up earlier than this _every_ _day_. My dad says he _should_ have named me after a bird because I always get up with them."

Link's mother laughed as she handed Link a glass of pumpkin juice. "Link wants to eat before he goes out. What would you two like to eat?"

"I want pancakes," Link said.

Zelda gasped. "Oh, _can_ we have pancakes?"

Link's mother smiled. "I can make something _better_ than pancakes."

 _What's better than pancakes_? Link wondered. Pancakes were his favorite thing his mother made, and he didn't know of anything that could compare to them.

That was until she set a plate of batter-dipped fried toast in front of him and another in front of Zelda. She covered the toast in syrup and sugar and it smelled fantastic. They ate quickly and quietly, Zelda's eyes were wide the whole time.

"This _is_ better than pancakes," she said, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. "Link, you're lucky if you get _this_ all the time."

"I don't," he said, looking at his mom. "I've n-never had this b-before."

"Well, you like pancakes so much I never make it," she shrugged. "Plus, it takes a lot of ingredients, so I save it for special occasions."

"What's a s-special occasion?" Link asked.

"Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays of sorts," she explained.

"Is it your birthday, Link?" Zelda asked brightly, watching him shake his head. "Is it _your_ birthday?" she asked his mother next, also watching her shake her head. "What's the- "

"It's the _first_ day that you came to play with Link, Zelda," his mother told her.

Zelda smiled then, looking _very_ pleased with herself as she continued eating. Link wasn't exactly sure _why_ this was a special occasion, but he liked the breakfast, so any reason was a good one.

"So, what do you want to do?" Zelda asked when they finally went outside.

Link didn't know _what_ to do exactly; he'd never played with anyone but himself before. He wasn't sure if Zelda would like to play with the wooden swords his father had made him. "Um… where d-do you like to g-go on the island?" he asked.

"Oh, that's good, I can show you all my favorite places," she said, taking his hand.

That first day, they just walked around Skyloft and she'd pointed out all the places she liked. On their second time around, Zelda asked him to tell her all _his_ favorite spots. She liked the waterfall by the pond, the bridge between the Academy and the Isle of the Goddess, and the Light Tower by the plaza. Link also liked the waterfall, but he took her up by the broken windmill near his house, and then they sat in the plaza for a while. Link said he liked to watch the knights take off when they changed shifts.

"My father's Loftwing is brown," Zelda said one morning when they watched his father take off for patrol. "Sometimes he comes to sit by me if my father is busy."

"Grey lifts me places," Link explained, watching his father swoop in a wide arc around the edge of the island. "He-he'll help me get on top of the platform by the bazaar. And sometimes he helps me climb the broken windmill."

"You _climb_ that windmill? That sounds dangerous… it's right on the edge," Zelda said, looking a little frightened.

Link shook his head. "I g-go to the edge all the t-time," he said. "I can sh-how you, it's fun."

Zelda still looked nervous, but followed him to the broken windmill anyway. He climbed all the way to the propellers, thinking it would be fun to show her how her you could hang off them, but when he got up there Zelda got really upset and started crying. Link came down right away.

"I-I was fine," he told her when she threw her arms around him.

"You could _fall_!" she sniffed.

Link shrugged. "That's wh-what the knights are for. Th-they catch y-you and- "

"But what if they didn't _see_ you?" she mumbled into his shoulder. "You're so little. You're just as small as _I_ am." She pushed him back then and pointed her finger right in his face. "Don't do it again, Link! I'll tell your _mom_ ; don't do it anymore."

"Okay, okay, I w-wont! I promise, Zelda," he said, and he meant it. Link _had_ stopped climbing the windmill after that, but after a few weeks he convinced Zelda it was safe to sit on the platform and dangle her feet off the edge. They did this a lot after she came over for breakfast. She'd been frightened at first and had to hold his hand, but after a few days it didn't scare her anymore.

Zelda started coming over every day, or if she didn't come over, Link went to get her. Sometimes they'd climb trees looking for stag beetles. Zelda would let him climb on her shoulders to get to higher branches, then he would always pull her up afterward. She never went very high in the trees and often held onto his clothing as they climbed, but she was eager to do it, even if it scared her a little. They played tag or hide and seek a lot, and she taught him a game where they clapped their hands together in a pattern and she sang a funny little song. They often went to the bazaar and got soup for lunch. Everyone seemed to know Zelda, and after a while they knew Link too. After a few months of trying, they convinced the shy boy who lived around the corner from Link to play with them. His name was Fledge.

"He's going to be a knight too," Zelda told Link when they were alone one day. "His parents visited right after yours did. But he's even quieter than _you_ are, so you'll both have to talk more."

"I talk," Link said.

"You talk _more_ now, and your stutter is getting much better," she noted. "But you still don't talk as much as I do."

Link thought it would be _impossible_ to talk as much as Zelda did. She never seemed to run out of questions to ask or stories to tell. He liked listening to her talk. His favorite part of the day was when they would sit on the edge of the plaza platform and watch the sun was sink into the clouds. They would talk about the knights, the academy, everything they did that day, and what it was like for them when they went home at night.

"Your mother is very nice," she said one day when the air had gotten cold. The leaves had started to change colors and many of them had fallen from the trees. They'd raked some into a pile earlier that day and jumped into them. Link was wearing his favorite green sweater and Zelda had on one of his hats. "Does she read you stories at night?"

Link nodded. "We read your book."

"Oh, do you like it? I never asked you if you liked it," she said. Link nodded, and she grinned. "I knew you would. I like that book a lot, but I always had to read it myself."

"Can you read the books your father has all by yourself?" Link asked.

"The big ones? Not all of them… _some_ of them I can. They have a lot of words," she said.

"I can read the Knight book all by myself now," Link noted proudly.

"But… your mom still reads to you?"

Link shrugged. "Just before I go to bed. My dad reads sometimes if she's busy."

Zelda frowned. Link watched her tear up blades of grass and ball them up in her fist. "Does your dad read to you?" he asked.

Zelda shrugged. "When he has time. He's so busy with the students most days that I don't get to see him. He always tucks me in, but… he never has time to read to me, or he's too tired."

"Where… where's your mom?" Link asked. Zelda never mentioned her, and he'd wondered about her mother since they started playing.

She frowned deeper, staring at the ground with a funny look on her face. She shredded the blades of grass with her fingers. "With Hylia."

Link was suddenly very sorry he asked. Maybe he should tell her that. "I'm s-sorry."

Zelda shrugged, tossing the shredded grass away from her before looking back at him. "I… I guess I could tell _you_. You're my best friend, after all."

" _I'm_ your best friend?"

"Well, _yeah_ ," Zelda said. "Aren't _I_ your best friend?"

"You're my _only_ friend," Link admitted.

"That's not true. Fledge likes you."

Link shrugged. "He never comes to play. Only you."

"But that's because I'm your _best_ friend," she said as though this should be obvious.

Link considered this. It made sense, he guessed. "Okay."

Zelda smiled a little, but she was still picking at the grass. "You… you won't tell anyone if I tell you, right?"

"No."

"Promise?" she asked in a voice smaller than he was used to.

Link sat up and held out his hand, pinky extended, just like his dad did to him whenever Link asked if he'd always come home. "I promise."

Zelda held hooked her pinky with his, squeezing a little. Then she sighed and looked back at the grass. "She went to be with Hylia right after I was born. No one will tell me what happened. My dad gets sad if I ask, so I don't ask anymore. I think… I think _that's_ why he doesn't like to read to me. Everyone says I look just like her…"

Link just sat there. He didn't know what to say. His uncle had gone to be with Hylia a few years ago when there was a sickness on the island, but it had been so confusing Link never asked about it. He'd just stayed quiet and listened to people talk when they needed to. He decided it was best to do the same thing now: just stay quiet and let Zelda talk.

"Horwell… he reads to me sometimes. Henya does too if she's not busy. But they'd _never_ read the Knight book for some reason. Maybe it's because I'm a girl."

"There are girl knights."

Zelda shrugged. "I learned to read it myself because I liked the pictures so much."

Link thought about this, thinking of how his mother always pointed out the pictures to him and how his father sometimes did different voices when he read it. He suddenly had an idea. "Do you want to eat supper at my house?" he asked, watching her smile and shake her head yes.

That night, Zelda stayed for supper and afterward, Link finally showed her _his_ room. They always went outside right away when she came over, so he'd never shown her his room though he'd been in hers a hundred times now. She spent a lot of time looking at his drawings before they played a game Link's father had taught him where they drew a grid and tried to make a line of X's or O's.

After a while, when the stars were starting to come out, his parents came in. "It's getting dark outside," his mother said gently. Link noticed she had a funny look on her face.

"Zelda wants to read the Knight book," Link announced. His mother tipped her head curiously. Zelda looked surprised and a little embarrassed when she turned to Link. "No one ever reads it to her," he went on. "Can she stay while we read tonight?"

Link's father pressed his lips together and looked outside at the darkening sky. Link's mother laid her hand on his shoulder and he nodded. "I'll go," he said, smiling at Link and Zelda before he turned and walked out the door.

Link was confused. "Where's dad go- "

"Just… out for a bit," his mother said, her voice a little tight. "So, the Knight book?"

Both Link and Zelda nodded excitedly. Link's mother took the book and sat with her back against the pillows. Link crawled up beside her while Zelda sat by his feet.

"You can come up here, Little Zelda," she said, patting the pillows. Zelda looked a little shy, but she crawled up closer to the pillows. Link slid over so _she_ could lay next to his mom, thinking it would be nice to let her see the pictures. His mother draped an arm around them both, letting Link hold one side of the book with Zelda in the middle. She cleared her throat and started to read.

" _The Knights of Skyloft are very brave warriors. Each day, they take to the skies and patrol the clouds, keeping our island safe from Skytails and Octorocks. They also watch for storms and protect the village from keese, chuchus, and other creatures that come out at night. But it was not always this way…_

" _Before they were the Knights of Skyloft, they were the Knights of Hylia, and they protected everyone on The Surface. The Surface was a vast land filled with tall trees, deep rivers, mountains filled with molten rock, and seas so vast the eye cannot see across them. This world was protected by the White Goddess Hylia. Hylia was peaceful, and beautiful, and she loved her people very much._

" _One day long ago, The Surface was torn apart by fire and chaos as an army of demons arose from a crack within the Earth. Ash choked the beautiful streams and fires destroyed the green forests. It broke Hylia's heart, so she descended from the heavens to seek the assistance of her people._

"' _My beloved humans,' the Goddess said, 'The darkness is coming, and you are in danger. I will send you to the skies to escape this horror. You will be beyond its reach and you can live safely among the clouds.'_

"' _How can we live above the clouds?' the people asked. 'We are not birds. We cannot fly.'"_

"' _My Loftwing will guide you to the skies when the time is right,' she explained. "After that, each of my beloved humans will be blessed with a Loftwing of their own. They shall be your guardians, your divine protectors, and your dearest friends. You will not be made whole until they are by your side.'_

" _Then Hylia drew a sword from her back. It was aglow with holy light. 'This is a sacred blade from the Gods. Though this is a battle among Gods, only a mortal can stand wield this blade against the Demon King. My sword must be reforged and tempered by an unbreakable spirit, by the hands of the most honorable hero in the land.'_

" _And from the Knights, Hylia selected her hero, who knelt before her to accept both the sacred sword and a sailcloth as blessing from the Goddess. The hero broke the blade and reforged it to be used in the battles that were to come._

" _When the battle came, the Goddess' people fled to the safety of the fortress and their homes. The Goddess Hylia tore the Earth asunder, and sent the cropping of land skyward. Then, she joined her Hero and all the creatures of the surface in a fierce battle against the Demon King. The Hero wounded the Demon King with the sacred sword, and the Goddess used her divine powers to drive him back into the underworld. With her goal accomplished, the Goddess Hylia ascended to the heavens to watch over her people as they made their new home in the sky._

" _Now, many years later, the Knights of Hylia are known as the Knights of Skyloft, and they live on by the grace of Hylia. The Hylians of Skyloft serve their Goddess by honoring community, bearing descendants, and giving praise to the Goddess for her continued benevolence. So long as they keep faith with the guardian Goddess, she will hear their prayers and they will live peacefully on the islands in the sky."_

Link grinned. He liked the story a lot. There was so many things to think about: the demons on the surface, the bravery of the knights, the Chosen Hero with his red cape and goddess-blessed sword…

"Do you think it's true?" asked Zelda quietly. "The Surface? That there is something under the clouds?"

Link sat up a little. He'd always wondered the same thing. His mother smiled gently, stroking Zelda's sun-colored hair and leaning over to give Link a kiss the top of his head. "It's just a story," she assured them.

Zelda nodded, looking a little disappointed. She snuggled a deeper into the pillow, her head against his mother's chest. "Link's mom? Can you read it again?"

His mother smiled gently, and Link noticed her eyes were wet. She leaned down and gave Zelda a kiss on the top of her head then. "Of course, I can," she whispered. "And you can just call me Larke, Little Zelda."

Link snuggled down into the pillows, letting Zelda take hold of his fingers as his mother began reading again. It was very warm snuggled up like this. He liked it a lot. It was nice to have Zelda come play with him every day, and he liked that she had stayed tonight. He liked that Zelda wasn't scared of sky beetles and that she did fun things with him. One day, she'd taken him to the Sparring Hall and laughed as he swung a wooden sword around with Rusta the Knight Commander. Link liked that she was not afraid to go right to the edge of the platforms and watch the knights fly by. Sometimes they got yelled at to get back, but it was still fun to do.

Link snuggled a little closer and rested his head against Zelda's back. She had turned completely into his mother now and was breathing quietly. Link was glad she was his best friend. He'd probably marry her someday if she wanted. She did have very pretty hair after all. Maybe they would live at the Knight Academy…

Link's mother didn't make it all the way through the story a second time. She stopped reading halfway through and listened to the slow breathing of the two children beside her. Zelda had turned so she was snuggled into the pillow facing Link. They were holding hands and she smiled before pulling the covers over them both.

Larke ran her fingers through her dark blonde hair and looked up at the two men standing by the divider. "She can stay here tonight if you don't mind," she said quietly. "It's not like she won't be back by sunrise anyway."

Gaepora laughed. "Maybe _you_ can get her to sleep in."

Orel chuckled a little. "I doubt it. I was coming back from night patrols the other day and she was already walking down the path from the Academy asking if Link would be up."

"They've gotten so close since August," Larke noted.

Gaepora nodded. "It's good for her. I think he tempers her a bit. The other children just rile her up and she can get so bossy."

"I don't think she bosses Link around _too_ much," Orel laughed. "But, he's so agreeable to things I'm not sure. I'm also not sure if he tempers her, Gae. The other day they were sitting _right_ at the edge of the platform and I know that was _his_ idea. Corvus told me he saw them and told them to get back."

"Link is anxious to get that bird of his, isn't he?"

Orel nodded. "He's got a way with them. I swear Grey would let Link ride him if I'd allow it," he added, rolling his eyes.

Larke chewed her lip a little bit. "She was very… snuggly tonight. She's never done anything like that before, Gae. Her and Link usually just play outside together and completely ignore me, but this was the first time he'd ever brought her in here, and when we came into check on them, Link just announced that he wanted his story _right then_. Almost like was doing it for her. He said… well… he said no one ever reads to her."

Gaepora frowned. "I _need_ to read to her more. I… I get so busy with the students, and she wants to read all the old fairy tales, which is _fine_ , but they always remind me of Aya…"

Larke frowned. "I know it's painful, but you can't hide her from Zelda forever. Has she ever seen a picture?" she asked, watching as Gaepora frowned and looked at the floor. "I think I have a painting of our class around here somewhere. Would you like it?"

Gaepora pressed his lips together, looking at his daughter and her sun-colored hair. "Yes, I would like it, if you can find one."

Larke nodded, getting up from the bed. She pulled the blanket more snugly over the two children and went to dig through a box of old pictures she had saved from their days at the Academy, leaving them to dream of whatever good things the future held for them on this strange little island they called home.


	2. That Time Zelda Did Link's Chores

**That Time Zelda Did Link's Chores**

* * *

Orel the Rescue Knight had white blonde hair and was the only person on the island with pierced ears. One time, Zelda fell onto the little ledge between the windmill and the stairs to the Academy. Orel had seen her fall and came over to help her back onto the main island, even though there were vines she could have climbed. He'd even taken a break to get her a snack at the bazaar and walk her back to the Academy. Today, he was wearing a red tunic with blue designs along the arms and talking with a knight named Corvus along with few older students. To Zelda's dismay, _Link_ was not with him.

"He's _still_ asleep?!" she asked, appalled.

Orel laughed at her. "It's still early, Little Zelda. He'll be along."

"But he's going to _miss it_!" she said before bolting off. Zelda ran hard all the way across the island until she reached Link's house. She knocked on the door before pushing it open; Link's mom always left it unlocked.

"Hi, Larke," she said, running through the big room of their house. "Can I wake Link up?"

"Yes, _please_ ," Larke said, sounding a little frustrated. "He _was_ up for breakfast, but then he went to draw and I think he fell back asleep."

Zelda was already beside Link's bed by the time his mother finished her sentence. He _was_ sleeping, his hair was messy and he had toast stuck to his face. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back and forth.

"Wake _up,_ sleepyhead! You're going to _miss_ it!" she said loudly. Link blinked a few times, looking at her with a confused expression. "The baby Loftwings, Link!" Zelda reminded him. "We're going to _miss them_!"

"Oh, right," he said, jumping out of bed. At least he was dressed, Zelda thought. "It's still early, it's only-"

"It's after 9:00 _, Link_! They'll fly _by any minute_!" she cried, snatching his hand and dragging him through the front room. "Your dad is already on the bridge. _Everyone_ is coming out. We have to get a good spot! Here's your shoes," she said, handing him the leather boots he always wore. Link ruffled his hair and pulled them on, yawning as he did. "Come _on_!" Zelda whined.

" _I'm coming_!" he said, finishing with the lacing on the boots. Zelda snatched his hand again and pulled him towards the door. "Mom-?"

"I'll be right behind you," she said with a little laugh.

Zelda dragged Link out of the house, feeling him stumble they went. She could see his mother walking quickly after them, but there was no time to wait for her. Everyone would crowd the bridge and they wouldn't get a good spot if that happened, so they had to get there quickly.

Every other year during the fall Harvest Festival, a very old Loftwing would land on Skyloft and start singing. When this happened, no one could leave the island until the next day because the Loftwings would all be busy. Zelda had been just four years old when it happened last. She'd seen the Loftwing land in the plaza and tugged hard on her father's sleeve to get his attention.

"He's so _old_!" she'd cried. The bird was dark violet and mottled, but it's eyes were bright and fierce as it looked around at the small crowd. "Doesn't he have a rider?"

"No, my Little Zelda," he said. "And that is a _she_. That is the Dame Loftwing, she is the oldest in the flock and oversees eggs and all the hatchlings. When the little birds are ready to take their first flight, she calls the other Loftwings home. No one will be able to fly until the next sunrise, not even the Rescue Knights. Do you see how Sir Orel and Sir Albertos are putting up fencing around the platforms? That is so everyone knows to stay away from the edge during this time."

"Why do the other birds have to leave?"

"They return to the flock to support the nestlings on their first flight," her father explained. "Just as we teach our children how to fly, every Loftwing returns to teach the young ones how to fly."

"Will I get a _baby_ Loftwing?"

"No, my dear," he laughed. "When you get a Loftwing, it will be around the same age as you are, and you will grow together your whole lives."

Zelda's heart fluttered wildly in her chest. She wanted her Loftwing more than anything in the world, and she just _knew_ that when she finally got to meet her, it would be the best day ever.

"Where's she going now?" Zelda asked when the Loftwing finished its song and took off again. Owlan, who had been standing beside Zelda and her father, knelt beside her.

"She is going to see Levias," he explained. "Hylia watches over us from the heavens, but she tasked Levias with guarding us here in the sky. He takes the form of a great sea creature who once lived in the vast seas on the surface."

"He's from the _surface_?" Zelda gasped, releasing her father and rushing over to Owlan.

"He's not from the surface, _exactly_ ," Owlan laughed. "Legend says he _looks_ like a creature that dwelt there. He has been the guardian of Skyloft since we first settled on this island thousands of years ago."

Zelda had regarded Owlan curiously. He liked to tease her sometimes. One day he told her the Remlits on the island would _eat_ her if she slept outside. "Is that true, Owlan? Or is it like the Remlit story?"

He laughed. "Everything I tell you is true, Little Zelda."

That year, Zelda had watched the baby Loftwings fly by from the very back of the crowd, stuck atop her Father's shoulders. Even with how tall he was, she hadn't been able to see properly. That _wasn't_ going to happen this year. She tugged harder on Link and he finally started running alongside her.

"I've never seen a baby Loftwing," Link said.

"Well, this is your chance," Zelda grinned, pulling him to the very front of the bridge. "They stay on a special island until they're old enough to be paired."

Link smiled and bounced on the balls of his feet. "By this time next year, we'll have _our_ Loftwings," he said excitedly.

" _I know_!" she agreed, seizing his arm again. "Will you name yours? Not everyone does."

Link shrugged. "My mom's doesn't have a name, but we call my dad's Grey… so, I guess that's a name."

"My dad doesn't call his anything," Zelda said. "Just ' _you,'_ which isn't a good name at all," she added. Zelda was pretty sure she'd name her Loftwing when she got it. She hated that her birthday was at the end of August and even though she was seven _now_ , she wouldn't meet her Loftwing until next June during the annual Pairing Day. A child had to be at least seven by June first in order to be paired with a Loftwing. It had been hard for her to watch Karane, Peatrice, and a bunch of others get their Loftwings this year. Zelda had been so jealous she almost cried, but Link held her hand to calm her down.

"Tonight's Lantern Night," Link said a minute later. "Did you make one?"

"I _haven't_ made one," Zelda replied, chewing her lip. The past week she and Link had spent too much time playing around at the Academy to do anything else. Old Rusta had tired of watching Link swing his wooden sword around and said, "If you're going to be a knight of any kind, you need to swing a _real_ sword," and given Link a practice one to swing.

At first, Zelda had just watched, but then Link had given her the practice sword and told her she should try to swing it. He'd even shown her how to hold it properly, which is something neither Rusta or her father had ever offered to do. Link never thought Zelda couldn't do something just because she was a girl. That was one of the reasons he was her best friend.

"We could make one today," he suggested. "I have to help my mom take clothing around first but then we could do it. Do you put prayers on yours?"

"Not… usually," Zelda said. She didn't pray much. Her father prayed all the time; it felt like everyone on the island did. But Zelda just…didn't.

Link shrugged. "We don't have to, but let's make one that – "

" _OH_ , _there they are_!" Zelda interrupted with a shriek, pulling herself up on the bridge railing and pointing to the sky.

There was a whole crowd of people now, and a few kids were pushing forward trying to get up front where she and Link were standing. Zelda could see Karane at the back of the crowd on her dad's shoulders, and there was a taller red-haired boy next to them with his red-haired parents. Fledge was trying to get through, but he gave up after a minute and climbed the gate at the very end of the bridge. There was a boy with dark hair and freckles she knew was named Pipit climbing over the edge of the stairs that led to the Isle of the Goddess. Link's mother was weaving through the crowd towards where they were standing, his father and Zelda's father were with her, but all three of them were staring at the sky. _Everyone_ was staring up at the sky. The Loftwings didn't pay any attention to the people on the bridge, they just flew steadily East toward the thickest part of the clouds.

" _Oh_ , look at how _cute_ they are!" Zelda gushed. The babies were a little gangly looking, with ruffled feathers and short wings, but they were cute all the same. The nestlings flew close to the full-grown birds, squawking and cooing loudly. A few times, Zelda saw one of the bigger birds rush up to help one who was falling a little bit before it settled back into the larger flock.

"You two will have no trouble finding a bird next summer," Zelda's father said when they finally reached them. "I can see at least fifteen that will be coming down during Pairing Day."

Zelda's heart pounded in her chest and she squeezed her hands together. She wasn't sure how she felt about _flying_ , having only been out a few times with her father or Owlan, but she was so excited to _finally_ have her Loftwing. The bird would be her guardian, her _protector…_ Everyone thought of their Loftwing as a best friend.

Though Zelda knew that Link would still be her _best_ best friend. He was a boy and not a bird, after all. She and Link would go flying to all the different islands around Skyloft together once they had their Loftwings, but not right away. You had to wait until you were ten and pass a flying test before you could fly without a grown-up. But once they could go flying, she was sure they'd spend all day together, just like they did now.

When the Loftwings disappeared into the thick clouds, people on the bridge started to head off and go back to their normal routines. Since it was Harvest Festival, tables were set out in the Plaza for a large feast they'd have this evening. Zelda always liked the feast, but she was more excited about making a lantern with Link since she'd never done it before. "So, what do we need for a lantern?" Zelda asked after the last Loftwing flew out of sight.

He chewed his lip. "We need paper. Not drawing paper, really _thick_ paper, right Mom?"

"Oh, are you two going to make a lantern?" she asked, watching them nod. "Yes, you'll need very thick paper, and we'll have to soak it for a bit so it won't burn… you do need to help me with the clothing first, Link."

Zelda watched him nod before turning back to her. "So, you get the paper, and we have oil and a candle... It won't take me long with the clothes," he said.

"Okay," Zelda replied. "Dad, can we use paints?"

"I'm sure Horwell can give you some, dear. I have to meet with the Seniors about patrolling the edges with the Rescue Knights this evening, but I'll see you tonight when we set the lanterns off, all right?" Zelda's father replied.

Zelda nodded, smiling at her father as he left to go back to the Academy. "So, where should I meet you?" she asked, turning back to Link.

"I'll come get you when I'm done with my chores," he said.

She nodded, grinning brightly as he waved to her and walked off to his house. If Link helped her, their lantern would surely be the prettiest out there. Not only was he going to be a knight someday, Link was an _artist_. He could draw, paint, and make crafts. His dad often carved things out of old trees for people when they asked: Loftwings, pumpkins, copies of the Goddess Statue... She guessed Link would be able to do that too since he could pretty much do everything. The other boys on the island just liked to play fight and look for bugs and Link liked those things too, but he always made time to draw or just listen to Zelda talk. Link _always_ made time for Zelda no matter what, which was another reason he was her best friend.

Zelda went back to the Academy and found Horwell, who was more than happy to give her paints. "Making a lantern?" he asked.

"Yes, with Link," she explained. "He's got chores to do first, but he's going to come get me after."

"Don't _you_ have chores to do?" Horwell asked, and Zelda remembered that she was supposed to make her bed up and sweep her room. She'd completely forgotten about it when she woke up this morning, but she could do it now while she waited for Link to get done.

It really didn't take long. The hardest part was sweeping, but even _that_ didn't take as long as Link was taking… Zelda decided the room could use some dusting while she waited, so she went and got a cloth from Henya to wipe down her book shelves, the edge of her bed, and her small desk. Then she wiped down her father's desk, the edges of _his_ bed, _his_ bookshelf…

What was taking Link so long? He _never_ took this long. She wondered if maybe he'd gotten distracted by Fledge or someone else who wanted to play, or maybe he'd fallen back to sleep again. Sometimes he still took a nap during the middle of the day or, even if he didn't _nap_ , he would lay on his back and watch the clouds; just daydreaming. She liked doing that with him, and he _knew_ this… so if he was going to do that, why hadn't he come and gotten her first?

Zelda frowned, leaving the cloth on her father's bookshelf and deciding she'd waited long enough for Link to find her. She walked down the stairs to the path that led to Link's house, thinking that was the one he always took to come see her, so it was best to start looking there. She was going to find him even if she had to look _all ove_ r the island.

It ended up that she didn't have to look very far; she found Link just a little way down the path. He was curled up against a stone wall under the bazaar, facing away from her. Zelda felt her ears get a little hot. How could he fall asleep _there_ of all places? She started to storm over to him to wake him up, but stopped short when she realized he _was_ awake. He was awake and moving, but… strangely.

" _Link_?" she asked, anger fading fast. "Why are you down there?"

He turned over his shoulder to look at her. Zelda could see that his cheeks were wet, and he looked really embarrassed about something. He sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve. "What happened?" she asked again, kneeling in the grass next to him.

"I… I saw a mantis in the tree," he said, wincing a little and trying to sit up. "I thought I could get up there and-"

"Up _this_ tree?" she asked incredulously, pointing the tree close to the path. It was the tallest tree on the whole island. Even standing on Zelda's shoulders Link had trouble climbing it. Link could jump very high, so lately he'd taken to dashing up the trunk and jumping, but even with that he still needed a push from Zelda to get to the really sturdy branches.

"Yeah," he mumbled. "But…I-I missed the big branch and caught one of the small ones instead. I thought it would hold me up for a second, b-but it broke and… I-I fell," he explained, holding out his arm. It was bent at a funny angle halfway between his elbow and his wrist.

" _Link_!" she wailed. Zelda crawled closer to him to get a better look, but he winced and pulled away when she tried to touch his arm. "You're _hurt_! You hurt yourself. You know you can't get up this tree without-"

"I know," he said. "I wasn't thinking-"

"You should have waited," she said. "You should have-"

"It would have been gone by the time I got you-"

"It's just a _bug_ , Link! _Look_ at your _arm_! Does it hurt a lot?" she asked gently. He nodded, and Zelda frowned. Her eyes stung and she chewed her lip before putting her arms around his neck and squeezing tightly. "I don't like it when you get hurt, Link. I should have been with you – I should have just come with you to take the clothes around."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I would have kept you safe!" she said. "It's just like with the windmill… you do dangerous stuff when I'm not around."

Zelda stood and helped Link up to his feet. His cheek had a scratch on it and there were leaves in his hair. She pulled them out and frowned. "Come on, let's go to Owlan."

"Oh no," he said, a little shaky when she hugged him again. "M-maybe… I-I c-can go h-home and just… I'll p-put on a b-big sweater. It'll b-be fine. It's probably n-not that b-bad."

Zelda frowned. Link used to stutter all the time, but now he only did it when he was scared. He hadn't stuttered _this_ bad in over a year. She put her arm around his back and guided him forward towards the staircase.

"A big sweater won't hide your arm, Link. And your mom will just bring you back to Owlan, anyway," she reminded him. Owlan was the main healer on Skyloft. There were people who helped him out if there was a sickness on the island, but he took care of all the injuries.

Link frowned, but let Zelda guide him up the stairs towards the academy. He was sniffing a little and looked like he could cry, but he just breathed slowly instead. Zelda's chest felt funny when she looked at the tear marks on his cheeks. She wanted to get him to Owlan as soon as possible to make sure he was going to be okay.

"Owlan?" Zelda called when they got to the upper floor of the academy. His door was open, so she took Link straight into the office. Owlan looked up from his desk, smiling at first then looking a little surprised.

"Hey, Little Zelda. Hi, Link. What's going on?"

"Link hurt himself," she said, pushing him forward. She had to push very hard.

"I can see that," Owlan said, catching Link by the shoulders. He walked him to his desk, lifting him gently on top of it. Zelda jumped up to sit by him, looping her arm through his good one to reassure him. "What happened?"

"I… I was… I f-fell," he said, cheeks turning a little red.

"He tried to climb a tree, but he didn't catch a good branch and he fell," Zelda explained. "It was the tall tree under the bazaar."

"Oh no," said Owlan, gently taking Link's arm. "Did you see it happen, Zelda?"

"No, but he told me. Link can jump very high, but he can't catch the good branches on that tall tree," she explained. "No one can."

"Is that what happened, Link?" Owlan asked gently, and Link nodded. He winced and tried to pull away when Owlan took his injured arm. "It's nothing too bad, but I need to have a look at it, okay?"

Link nodded and held out his arm. Zelda put her head on his shoulder and squeezed his good arm while Owlan examined the hurt one. He gave Link a little smile. "Your arm is broken, but it's not the end of the world."

"It's _broken_? Oh _no_ ," he said, looking absolutely sick now.

Owlan smiled. "It will be all right, Link," he said. "You were brave enough to climb that tree all by yourself, I'm sure you can handle having this taken care of. Zelda, why don't you run to Link's house and get his mother. I'll need to talk to her."

"Is he in trouble?"

"Am I-I in t-trouble?"

They asked the question at the same time, and Owlan smiled while shaking his head. "No, you're not in _trouble_. It's just a tree, this is just a bone, it will mend. Run along, Little Zelda; I'll take care of Link."

"He needs me," she said, feeling Link's arm tighten in her own. "I can send someone-"

"Best if it's you," Owlan replied a little firmly. "You know Link better than anyone, so you can tell his mother exactly what happened. Link will be fine here, won't you, Link?"

Zelda looked at him. He didn't _look_ fine. He looked white and sick as Owlan started taking out bandages and began mixing up a potion of sorts. Zelda stayed on the desk for a few more minutes until Owlan gave her a look.

"I'm going to be _right back_ , Link," she assured him. "I promise. I'll run. I won't be gone long at all."

Link nodded and watched as Zelda bolted out the door. She told him she would run, and run she did, all the way across Skyloft to his house at the very back of the island.

"Zelda?" Link's mother asked, looking up from her knitting in surprise. "Is everything all right? Where is Link?"

"He… fell," she panted, clutching her ribcage. "Out of a _tree_ ," she added after seeing the alarmed look on Larke's face. "I took him to Owlan."

"Oh, I see," she said, gesturing Zelda out of the house and back down the path. "Were you with him?"

"No," Zelda said, still panting a little as they walked. "He was taking a long time, so I went to look for him and I found him under the tree by the bazaar. He said he tried to climb it and …he jumps _so_ _high_ , but that tree is so big and… I should have been with him."

"What could you have done?" Link's mother asked.

"Well, I always _help_ him climb that tree, and if I had been there he probably wouldn't have fallen," Zelda explained, frowning.

Link's mom smiled and put her arm around Zelda's shoulders. "It's very sweet that you are so protective of Link, but even if you were there he still could have fallen. It was an accident, I'm sure he'll be just fine."

"Owlan said he broke his arm," Zelda informed her.

"Well," she sighed. "He'll be fine in a few weeks, then. It's not the first time he's broken a bone."

"It's _not_?"

"No," Link's mother said, laughing a little. "The spring before you two started playing together, he broke his leg after convincing _Grey_ to lift him into that tree by our house. He climbed all the way up to the top by himself, then slipped on one of the branches," she sighed. "I think Grey _tried_ to catch him, but he landed funny and broke his leg. I'd never seen that bird so upset, squawking and crying. My bird was furious. She has always been a bit of a bystander where Link was concerned since she's so attached to me, but that day she flew down and really let Grey have it. Though, it's never stopped Grey from indulging Link when he wants to get places," she added, rolling her eyes. "Usually Loftwings only respond to the call of their master, but Orel and I _swear_ that Grey comes if Link yells for him."

When they got to Owlan's office he was wrapping a thick bandage around Link's arm, which was no longer bent funny. Zelda could see that his cheeks were wet and she worried that he'd been crying again. She climbed up onto the table beside him and re-looped her arm through his, resting her head against his shoulder. Link's mother wiped his face with her hands and kissed his fluffy hair.

"How is it?"

Owlan smiled. "It's fine, not nearly as bad as his leg was," he said. "Link was _very_ brave this time. He let me set the bone straight without any fuss," he added, still looping the bandage around and around Link's arm. "I'll make a sling for him since it'll have to stay still. Now, Link," Owlan started, giving Link a serious look. "You'll need to wear this all the time. If you take the bandage off to take a bath, that's fine, but have your mother or father set the splits and wrap it tightly when you're done. Keep it wrapped and keep your arm still as possible if you ever want to swing a sword properly."

When Link heard this, his face went even paler, but he nodded and held his arm out a little stiffer while Owlan finished wrapping it.

"So, he can't use his arm _at all_?" Zelda asked. "How will he brush his teeth? Or eat? Or… _draw_?"

"He'll just have to use his other hand for those things," Owlan said, stretching pieces of fabric between Link's shoulder and his elbow to make a cloth cradle for his arm. "Six weeks, Larke," Owlan said to Link's mother. "He'll be just fine and back to climbing trees again in no time," he added in a low voice.

" _Wonderful_ ," Larke said in a funny voice. For some reason Owlan laughed, though Zelda didn't understand how any of this was funny.

Link's mom took him home then and gave him some sort of pink liquid she said would help with the pain. He asked to take a nap, but wanted Zelda to stay while he did. She sat on the end of his little bed and traced the pattern of a lantern he'd quickly drawn after his chores that morning. Zelda was glad he had done that because she could not draw well and would have struggled with the lantern

.

Zelda did all the cutting and gluing, and Link helped her soak it in the fire-resistant oil after it was cut out. After that, Zelda just stared at the lantern while Link stirred the paints.

"What's wrong?" he asked after Zelda took a paintbrush but did nothing.

"I can't… paint well at all," she'd said.

"You can do this," he told her. "It doesn't have to be fancy. Just write our names on it."

Zelda frowned. "I was thinking this morning that if _you_ did it, we'd have the best lantern out there," she mumbled a little glumly.

Link pressed his lips together. "What about those letters your dad taught you to write? The old language. You could write our names in that and then one would know what it said."

" _Oh_ ," Zelda said, brightening up. "That's a good idea. Those look really pretty." Link just nodded and gave her an encouraging smile.

She painted " _Zelda_ " in big pink letters and " _Link_ " in green ones because green was his favorite color. They sat on Link's couch while the lantern dried and his mom gave them some math problems to work on while she made cookies. When Link's dad got home he was surprised to see Link in a sling. "What happened?" he asked his mom, but Zelda had piped up with the whole story which seemed to amuse Link's parents for some reason.

"It isn't _funny_ ," Zelda said, frowning when Orel laughed at her. He adopted a serious expression and nodded while Zelda went on. "Owlan said he can't use his arm _at all_ if he wants to swing a sword properly."

"I see," Orel said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I'm sure if Link does exactly what Owlan said he'll be just fine. I'm going to miss my sparring partner, though."

"Zelda can swing a sword," Link said randomly. Orel tipped his head and Zelda gave Link a bewildered look. She could swing a sword, but not… not like _he_ could. Not like a _knight_ would.

"Can you?" asked Orel.

"Well… I mean… I _can_ ," Zelda said. "Link taught me how to hold one."

Orel considered this. "Does your dad know?"

"Yeah," Zelda replied.

"What does he think?"

She shrugged. "He just said I might not like swinging a sword very much."

"I know your dad teaches you math and reading, Zelda, but he's very busy for other things," Orel said, kneeling down to look at her. "Is there anything you'd like to learn?"

Zelda swallowed. "I… well… Rusta has these bows that look neat."

"I can teach you how to shoot a bow," Orel offered.

"Would you?"

"Of course," he said with a smile. "I was about to start teaching Link anyway, so he'll just watch us until he's better. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great!" Zelda said, grinning excitedly at Link.

They went to the feast that night, and Link wore the biggest sweater he owned trying to hide the fact that his arm was in a sling. Zelda had to sit by her father during the feast since he greeted everyone and led a prayer, but after she was finished she went down to sit by Link. When the feast was over, everyone gathered candles and lanterns and walked to the Isle of the Goddess. The evening was warm, and Link finally got sick of his overlarge sweater and pulled it off as they were walking. Fledge, who had been walking next to them, gasped in horror.

"What _happened_ to your _arm?!"_ he asked Link.

Link looked flustered so Zelda spoke for him. "He fell out of that big tree by the bazaar."

"Oh _no_ ," said Fledge. "That's your _sword_ arm."

"He's going to be fine," Zelda assured him. "Owlan said he has to keep it wrapped for a while, but he'll be fine."

"Oh, that's good," sighed Fledge. "Does it hurt, Link?"

This was a question Zelda couldn't answer, so she looked at Link waiting for him to respond. He swallowed and waited a little bit to find his voice. "It's not bad," he said. "The sling is annoying. I can't draw or anything so that kind of stinks."

"Yeah," Fledge agreed. "Did _you_ paint the lantern?" he asked Zelda, watching her nod. "What's it say?"

Zelda held it up, about to say that it was just their names in Old Hylian, but Link said, "It's a prayer for the destruction of all the trees on Skyloft," in flat voice before she could respond.

Fledge looked horrified while Zelda snickered. "It is _not_ , you goof!" she laughed. "It's just our names in the old language," she told Fledge, pointing to the letters.

" _Oh_ ," Fledge sighed. "That's a relief."

"But it looks cool, doesn't it?" Link asked, grinning when Zelda continued to laugh at him.

Everyone always let their lanterns go at the feet of the Goddess Statue, and this year was no different. Zelda and Link pushed their lantern into the air and watched as it flickered gently against the stars. Link let Zelda hold his hand when she asked because that's what he always did. Zelda often thought she'd marry Link when they were older because he was so nice to her. On their way back to the village, Link mentioned how he'd probably still have to help his mother deliver mended clothing around the village, but he wasn't sure how he would do it with a broken arm. Zelda decided then that since Link was always so nice to her, she should do something nice for him.

The next morning she went to his house early, like she always did, but this time she didn't bother to wake him up. Instead, she watched his mom finish up a few things before she started to fold the clothes and put them in the wagon Link always took around with him.

"What are you doing?" Link asked when he finally got up an hour or so later.

"I'm going to help you take the clothes around," she explained.

Link just stared. "I have to wear this thing for a month," he said, gesturing to his bandaged arm in its sling.

"So, I'll help you," she said again. "You still want to hang out with me, right?"

"Well, yeah…"

"So, let's do your chores, then we can go get my kite and fly it. It's really windy today," she said, taking the wagon and pulling it out the door. Link followed her, a little confused, but he was smiling anyway. Zelda saw that Link's mother had a little smile on her face as she watched them go.

For the next several weeks, Zelda would go to Link's house in the morning and help his mother fold the clothing and put it into the wagon, then she and Link would deliver it to all the houses in the residential area and the few houses underneath the bazaar. Larke sometimes had Zelda sew on a button or mend a small hole with a patch if they had extra time. Link knew how to do those things, but she was excited to learn them.

When they were done, they'd usually go fly kites or watch the clouds until Link's father got off patrol. Then, Orel would take them out behind the house and work with Zelda on shooting a bow. He spent the first day just showing her how to hold and draw it, but the second day he let her shoot. Zelda was surprised to find that she was very good at it.

"You're a natural, Zelda," he said, sounding impressed. "I've never seen someone take to it so quickly; it's like you've been doing it for ages. _Have_ you shot a bow before?"

Zelda shook her head. "No, Rusta says the bows are only for the kids in school."

Orel grinned a bit. "Well, he'll be in for a surprise then when you start lessons and have training, won't he?"

Zelda smiled. She knew the bow was probably weak, but it was still fun. Link's father kept moving her targets further and further back, but she hit them every time. Link would cheer her on from beside his dad, which made her feel really good.

Link's splint was taken off right at the beginning of November. That day, _he'd_ been the one to wake _Zelda_ up in the morning after visiting Owlan for a check-up. She'd been surprised when he knocked on her door; it was very early. She hadn't even gotten dressed yet.

"I'm better!" he grinned, holding out his arm excitedly. "Let's go!"

"Go where?" she asked, yawning a bit.

" _Everywhere_! Come on!" he said, jumping a up and down a little.

Zelda smiled and shook her head. "Can I have breakfast first?" she asked. Link just grinned and nodded his head yes while following her down to the cafeteria.

That day really _did_ go everywhere. The first thing Link wanted to do was swing a sword, so she followed him to the sparring hall and watched as he worked with a practice sword for a bit. She'd been a little bit embarrassed when Link told Rusta that Zelda could shoot a bow, but also pleased that Rusta had given her one after that and allowed her to shoot at a few targets. After that, they went down to the plaza and played tag with Fledge and the twins that lived close by. When the sun started to set, they went and got a warm milk with sugar from the bazaar because it was cold out then they sat on the edge of the platform watching the Rescue Knights fly in. Zelda liked this part of the day because Link was always a little bit more talkative in the evenings.

"What do you want to do when you get your Loftwing?" he asked as he sipped his milk.

"We won't be able to fly by ourselves until we're ten," she reminded him.

"I know," he said a little glumly. "But… my parents would _take_ us somewhere I bet."

Zelda thought about this. There were a number of islands around Skyloft that had things she'd heard about but never seen. There was the island where Birtle kept the cuccos. Henya had a few behind the academy, but Birtle came once a week to the bazaar with eggs for sale. There was also the island where Tern lived that had a few goats that made milk, and the island where Owlan went to harvest vegetables that he brought back to the Academy and for the bazaar.

"I think it'd be neat to go see Tern and the goats," She shrugged. "They always have a baby and I bet it would be cute. What do you want to do?"

Link pressed his lips together as he stared out at the southeastern sky. "I've always wanted to go to the Lumpy Pumpkin."

Zelda gasped. "That's a great idea!" she said. "I didn't even think of that. My dad goes there with Horwell and Owlan every Friday and they _never_ take me!"

"My dad has gone there with the knights, and sometimes he and my mom go, but they've never taken me either," Link said, frowning a little.

"It's so unfair. There's no reason they couldn't take us," Zelda grumbled.

"I've always wanted to try the spiced cider everyone talks about," Link said excitedly.

"Me too!" Zelda grinned.

"My parents told me I could ask for anything I wanted on Pairing Day; I'm going to ask to go there," Link said.

"I know my dad said he'd take me flying… I'll just ask him to take me there too," she replied. "We can go together!"

Link looked over at her, a grin on his face. "Yeah, it'll be fun!"

"It'll be _so_ fun!"

"Okay, so that's what we'll do after we've been paired up with our Loftwings. I won't try that cider until I'm with you, okay?"

"Me too," Zelda agreed.

"Promise?" Link asked, holding out his pinky like he always did when they made promises to each other. Zelda grinned and looped hers through it.

"I promise."


	3. That Time With the Crimson Loftwing

**That Time with the Crimson Loftwing**

Pairing Day took place on the first of June each year. Every child who turned seven in the last year would be matched with a Loftwing in a big ceremony under the Goddess statue. Link actually turned seven _last_ June, but his birthday was at the very end of the month so he'd just missed the cut off. It didn't matter now, though. _Today_ was the day. It was _his_ Pairing Day, and he was _finally_ going to meet his Loftwing.

The air was warm, the sun was bright, and the sky was cloudless. Link's father had said it was a perfect day for flying, and he would know after all. Link pulled on his favorite green shirt, his favorite boots, then he raced towards the front door of his house at the back of the island.

"Link, here's your toast," his mother said, sounding a little exhasperated. Link shoved the toast in his mouth and just nodded, running out the door and down the path towards the Goddess statue. He ran into Zelda halfway there.

"Where _were_ you?" she snapped, skidding to a stop when he caught up to her. "I came and woke you up at _seven_!"

"I feow back 'o s'eep," Link tried to explain through a mouthful of crunchy bread.

"Of all the days to sleep in, Link, _really_!" Zelda growled in the same exasperated tone his mother had had. "Everyone has already said their prayer and now you're going to have to do yours _alone_!"

"'M sorry!" he said, spitting toast out as he ran. Zelda gave him a disgusted look. "We s'ayed up 'oo late las' nigh'-"

" _I_ didn't have any problem getting up."

" _You_ n'efer do," he muttered, shoving the last bits of his small breakfast into his mouth.

" _You're_ just a sleepyhead," she shot back. He stuck his tongue out at her and she grinned while they ran up the wooden steps.

Link hesitated when they got to the top, heart thumping hard in his chest as they walked onto the stone pathway that lead to the Goddess Statue. _Everyone_ in the village was there, just like they always were when children met their Loftwings. A few people turned to look in his direction and Link was suddenly _very_ aware of how late he was. He ruffled the back of his hair with one hand and wiped his mouth with the other, staying behind Zelda as they walked towards the statue.

Zelda was completely at ease, but she was used to being the center of attention. Her father was Headmaster of the Knight Academy and leader of most of the ceremonies. Everyone in town knew who she was; they only knew who Link was because he was always with Zelda. They knew Link's _father_ more than they knew Link. In fact, there were several people standing around Link's father talking with him. He was wearing his blue Knight's uniform today just in case someone needed help on their first flight.

"There's Pipit and Keet," Zelda said as she scanned the crowd with slightly narrowed eyes. "They got their Loftwings last year," she added, gesturing to the two boys standing on the dais below the Goddess Statue. "Parrow and Orielle got theirs last year too," she went on, pointing to the twin brother and sister that lived across the bridge from the residential area. " _Oh_! There's Karane, and Peatrice, _and_ Kina," she continued when she spotted the small cluster of girls standing by one of the bird statues. "Kina will get hers with us, but Peatrice and Karane got theirs last year."

"There's Fledge!" Link exclaimed, pointing to the slight blond boy standing by a broken pillar. Zelda grinned and they walked across the square through the throngs of people to where Fledge was standing. He was looking down at his feet while a shorter boy with bluish-black hair laughed at him.

"You're probably going to be too _scared_ to even get on the bird," the boy laughed.

"I won't be _scared_ ," Fledge replied, though he was shaking. Link frowned a little bit, trying to think of where he recognized the short black-haired boy from.

"I bet you won't even be able to hold on to the feathers, _wimp_ ," a stocky boy with reddish hair and vivid yellow eyes said from behind Fledge. Link recognized him immediately as the boy who'd made fun of his stutter a few years ago. He knocked Fledge hard with his shoulder and Link put his arms out to catch him. Fledge straightened up right away and tried to stop shaking, though Link could tell he was still nervous.

"Knock it off, Groose," the boy named Pipit said. He had a sharp face and when he said it he crossed his arms over his puffed out chest. "No one's going to fall off and _everyone_ gets a bird."

"Maybe not _everyone_ ," the boy named Groose laughed. "These _two_ don't look big enough to ride a bird," he added, gesturing to Link and Zelda. "They probably won't even be able to see you you're so little," he went on, leaning down and pretending he couldn't see Zelda and Link standing right in front of him.

Link didn't say anything, but Zelda narrowed her eyes and put her fists on her hips. "And _you_ might be too _big_ for a bird with that fat featherhead of yours," she muttered.

"Ain't you the Headmaster's daughter?" Groose asked, sneering down at Zelda.

"So what if I am?"

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. " _She's_ probably got her bird picked out already she's so spoiled," Groose said to the smaller black-haired boy, who cackled in response.

"Nah, she ain't _that_ spoiled," he grinned, before dropping his voice just above a whisper. "I _hear_ she ain't got no ma' to-"

" _Shut up_!" Link snapped, causing everyone to jump. Zelda looked at him, eyes wide in surprise. Link balled his hands into fists. He didn't like it when anyone made fun of Zelda. Not that people did very often. In fact, this was the first time Link could remember it happening, but he still didn't like it.

The black-haired boy froze for a moment, then smiled wickedly as Groose turned his yellow eyes to Link. Groose leaned over him and crossed his arms over his chest. "What did you say, _runt_?" he asked.

"I said 'shut up,'" Link replied. Link saw Pipit set up to flank him.

Groose smirked, eyes scanning the adults around them for anyone watching. Everyone was staring at the sky, so Groose leaned in a little closer. " _I_ know _you_ ," he said. "I used t'see you every morning… runnin' across the square to watch the knights take off. Think you'll be one of them, do you?" he asked with a sneer. "It's nice to see you got rid of that _st-st_ - _stutter_ you-"

"He was _five_!" Zelda shouted angrily, putting herself in between Groose and Link. Her eyes flashed and she drew herself up as tall as she could. "And even _with_ a stutter he still talked better than you do!"

Groose opened his mouth to say something, an ear-piercing whistle cut the air and everyone looked up, all the children included. Zelda elbowed Link frantically.

" _Link_! _You need to pray_!" she whisper-shouted, shoving him towards the statue. "Go! _Go now_!"

Link gasped and ran to the feet of the Goddess statue, ignoring the looks he was given as he shoved his way through the crowd. He fell to his knees on the hard stone and gazed up at the stone goddess in front of him. It was dizzying to look up at the statue from this angle, so he closed his eyes and started to recite the prayer he'd spent the last month memorizing.

"Hylia, her grace, our white goddess," he whispered. "I ask you to bless me today as I seek my partner in flight, my guardian, and my treasured friend. I pray you find me worthy to-"

Link's prayer was lost in the chorus of squawking above. He couldn't help but gape in awe at the Loftwings circling the goddess statue. Brilliant tawny, golden yellow, grass green, sky blue, bright red… there were _so_ _many_ _colors_. The Loftwings swooped low over the crowd and Link stopped trying to count them all, let alone identify their colors. Down at the bottom of the stone dais, Zelda was beaming with her hands clasped tightly in front of her chest. Even the adults and kids who already _had_ Loftwings were staring astonished into the sky.

" _Wow_!" Pipit cried, pointing excitedly and jumping on the spot. "Do you _see_ that _red_ one?"

"Oh _my_!" Zelda gushed. Link noticed then that _everyone_ was pointing at the red bird.

"That's a _Crimson_ Loftwing!" Owlan yelped. He was standing next to Zelda's father and Horwell, all three of them staring in awe at the red bird. "We… I have never seen a Crimson Loftwing like that. Only in books!"

"There hasn't been one seen in the last _seventy_ years," Pipit announced eagerly. "All the books _I_ have say the color went extinct."

"If he likes birds so much maybe we should call him birdbrain," the small black-haired boy said, elbowing Groose. Groose ignored him, for his eyes were also on the red Loftwing.

"That bird is _mine_ ," he announced. "Red hair, red bird. It all fits. It's _destiny_."

Link ignored this, turning back to the sky and watching the Crimson Loftwing swoop and spin in the air. Owlan whistled again and the birds started to land. Paired Loftwings landed next to their humans, nudging heads and screeching happily. He saw his father's grey bird and his mother's green one standing beside each of them, nestling long beaks against their heads. The grey bird squawked at Link, who was still on his knees in front of the statute. He got up, prayer abandoned, and watched the unclaimed Loftwings start to land in the middle of the circle below him. They cooed and screeched, looking curiously over the waiting children. With in a few seconds, all the birds had landed.

All _except_ the red bird. The Crimson Loftwing hovered longer than the others, almost as if it was looking for something. It splayed its wings out and flapped them proudly, purple and yellow tips gleaming in the sunlight as it drifted over the crowd. The bird circled three times, then squawked before landing in front of the Goddess statue, _right_ in front of Link. He took a few steps back in alarm, but the Loftwing stalked forward, lowering its head close to the ground.

Groose raced up to the statue and shoved Link away so he could see eye to eye with the bird. Link hit the dirt hard and heard his mother shout " _HEY_!" amidst other scolding cries. Before anyone could come up to help him, the Crimson Loftwing screeched, flapped its wings angrily, then _pushed_ Groose aside with its large beak. Groose stumbled down the stairs, yelping as he went, but the Loftwing ignored this.

It walked toward Link, squawking curiously and waiting for him to come back to his feet. Link stood, jumping a little when the Loftwing spread its wings again and hovered just a few inches off the ground before settling back down. It cooed softly, then lowered its head low enough for Link to touch.

He reached a hesitant hand forward, threading his fingers through thick crimson down on the bird's neck. There was warmth radiating through his chest and Link felt… he felt like he was _home_ ; like he'd known this Loftwing forever, that the bird was… part of him. The bird let out a long squawk and butted Link in the chest with its large head. Then it raised its yellow eyes and locked them with Link's.

 _Hello_ , a voice whispered in time with the Loftwing's chatters. Link blinked in confusion and took a step back, but the bird followed. _I have long awaited this moment_. _We have been separated by the ages, but I was destined to find you. You will be my rider, just as you promised so long ago._

The Loftwing lowered its chest to the ground and several people in the crowd gasped. Link realized _everyone_ was watching him. He was sure his face was as red as the bird's feathers. His parents looked pleased, but stunned at the same time. The Headmaster and flight instructor Owlan were wide-eyed and gaping. Zelda was standing next to Fledge, both their mouths hanging open in astonishment. Groose and the black-haired boy were looking furious next to a lanky yellow-haired boy who'd seemingly come out of nowhere.

Link reached out and fisted his fingers into the soft down on the birds back, his heart nearly bursting through his chest as pulled himself up. He settled in, setting his feet into the notches along the bird's hips. The Loftwing began flapping its wings and Link let out a wild little laugh. They lifted a few inches off the ground.

"Link, _wait_!" his father cried. Link could see him fighting his way through the crowd of people backing away from him as the bird rose higher. "You'll need to have a bit of instruction before-"

Link didn't hear what came next. All he heard was the beating of wings, a squawk of triumph, and the rush of wind in his ears as the Loftwing vaulted into the sky. Link fisted his hands tight into the birds' feather and held on with every ounce of strength he could muster.

Despite the overwhelming joy flooding through of him, Link felt a surge of fear coupled with it. Cold wind tore at his clothes and threw his hair into chaos in his face while the bird climbed higher and higher, flying much faster than he thought it would, given it was their first flight. After a few moments, Link was used to the speed, but then… _then_ he looked down and gasped. There was no ground underneath them, only sky…

 _You must trust me, child. You must trust yourself_ , that same voice said. Was it the Loftwing speaking? Did Loftwings speak? Link had no idea. _Tell me, where would you like to go?_

Link thought about this, looking down at the empty sky below him. He shifted his weight to the right and the Loftwing banked, curving in a perfect arc back towards Skyloft. They were so high that the towering Goddess statue looked a little small. Link leaned forward and the Loftwing dropped in height, then he leaned forward a little more and the bird _dove_ straight down. When he pulled back, the bird flapped its wings and they soared upwards again. Link shifted his weight side to side, swooping in large circles around the statue, flying so close he could almost reach out and touch it.

He dove down a few seconds later, making another large circle around the crowd before pulling back. Link was panting, exhilarated, looking for his parent's faces among the throng of people cheering. The Crimson Loftwing lifted its chest and touched down just as the crowd swarmed around them.

" _That was awesome_!" Pipit screeched as he raced forward. Zelda was right behind him, her hands still clasped together.

"That was _so_ dangerous!" she cried. "You didn't… you didn't even _wait_ for them to tell you what to do, Link, that was so-"

" _Link_!" his mother cried, running forward. She lifted him off the bird and pulled him into a crushing hug. His father was just behind her. "What… what were you _thinking_?"

Link swallowed. "I… I… he just t- _took off_. He told me I was to be his r-rider and he just… t- _took_ off," he tried to explain.

"He ' _told'_ you?" Zelda asked. "You heard it _talk_?"

"I… I don't kn-know," said Link sheepishly, putting a hand over his chest. He looked at the Loftwing, squeezing his other hand against the soft feathers. The Loftwing made a low noise and bumped his head with its beak. "I _felt_ him."

"That was _amazing_ , Link!" Owlan cried. He pushed around Zelda and grabbed Link by the shoulders. "I've never seen _anything_ like that. Usually it takes a little bit for a bird to warm up to its rider, but he took right _to you_. You are a _true_ natural! _Well_ _done_!"

"How do we _know_ it's his?" Groose asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Owlan turned, eyes still alight with excitement. "The flight sealed their bond. Once a Loftwing agrees to fly with you, they're yours forever."

Groose huffed and turned away, walking over to a green bird that was pecking at the ground behind him. Link watched the bird shriek at him before shuffling away angrily.

His mother was still hugging him, her fingers tight in his hair though she was smiling now. Pipit was looking at the bird in awe and even timid Fledge had dared to come a bit closer. Zelda was standing behind Owlan, her eyes on the Crimson Loftwing and a little pout on her face. Her father stood at her shoulder, but his eyes were on the Loftwing rather than on Zelda. Zelda slowly stepped closer to Link, reaching out to touch the bird, but it made a quiet noise and curled its head into Link's chest. She frowned, and Link noticed then that her eyes were wet.

"Hey," he said quietly, twisting around in his mother's arms. "Did… did you see the ones over there?"

"What? Oh… oh, yeah," she said, voice a little shaky. "Yeah, I… I'm going to go see…" she trailed off. Zelda walked over to a violet bird first, then a yellow one. Her shoulders slumped when both birds took one look at her and walked away.

"Link, I just can't _believe_ this," his father said, ruffling his hair. "That was _incredible_. I've never seen or heard about anything like that in all my life. You should be _very_ proud."

Link felt himself blush. He looked at the bird and smiled, watching it squawk and flap its wings while allowing a few of the adults to get closer. He wished the ceremony would end now so he could take his Loftwing and go flying with his dad like they had planned. He was also supposed to go to the Lumpy Pumpkin with Zelda; they promised each other last fall that's what they would do on Pairing Day.

The bird bumped his chest again and Link remembered there were _rules_ that applied to him now. He would not be permitted to fly without a grown-up until he turned ten years old, and he could only fly during the day, never at night, unless he became a Rescue Knight. If he and Zelda wanted to go to the Lumpy Pumpkin, someone would have to fly with them, but Link was sure his parents wouldn't mind. They would probably even enjoy it. He waited for Zelda to find her Loftwing so he could talk to her about going, but it was taking her a while to find one.

It was still very early in the day,though; the sun wasn't even halfway through the sky yet. Link figured he could fly with his dad for a little bit, _then_ fly over to Pumpkin Landing this afternoon with Zelda. He would have time to do both, he was certain of it. Link watched Zelda walk over to a gentle looking blue Loftwing, her hands folded in front of her waist. The bird examined her for a moment, then flapped its wings and lowered its chest to the ground just as his Crimson one had done. Even from this distance, Link saw Zelda sigh in relief. She pushed her fingers through the birds feathers and it screeched in approval, lowering itself to the ground so she could climb atop its back. Her father and Owlan approached then, giving her a few words of encouragement or instruction, then Zelda took off.

Hers was a shorter flight, just a long sweep over the crowd before the bird circled up and around the goddess statue. Zelda looked a little frightened on its back, but she was smiling all the same. The Loftwing landed with her in the center of the square; it was a little rough but they stuck it. Link cheered but he didn't think Zelda could hear him.

It took a while, but eventually all the children were paired with their Loftwings. Fledge found a bright green bird that dove and swooped over the island, forcing him to bury himself in its back feathers to stay on. The black-haired boy ended up with the purple loftwing, and his lanky yellow-haired friend ended up with a green bird that matched the shirt he was wearing. Groose found a black Loftwing that was a bit larger than the others and flew extraordinarily fast around the statue before landing gracefully in the very center of the circle. The dark-haired girl Zelda had called Kina was partnered with a gold Loftwing that flew her in a series of quick circles before landing easily in the grass. None of the other kids' flights went as high nor lasted as long as Link's had.

The ceremony always ended with the children saying a prayer of thanks at the feet of the goddess statue, so once pairing was complete, the children stepped up and knelt before the tall statue. Link was surprised to hear Zelda praying softly. She usually was loud and clear whenever she spoke, but right now her voice was soft and it shook a little. Her eyes were still wet, Link noticed. He meant to ask her what was wrong, why she looked like she'd been crying, but as soon as the prayer was done his parents scooped him up into a tight hug while Zelda's father did the same. She didn't see Link wave to her as he left the isle a few moments later.

As soon as they got home, Link's dad took him flying around the houses in Skyloft. Then he took him around the _whole_ island and all the way up to the skyfall where the water spilled into the pond below. "Did you want to do anything else?" His father asked him after they landed by their house.

Link chewed his lip, thinking about his plans to go to the Lumpy Pumpkin with Zelda, but he hadn't seen her all day. He'd been watching for her Loftwing to come flying by, but he hadn't seen it either.

"Um… no, I think I'm okay," he said. He didn't want to go _without_ her. They had promised each other after all, and Link's parents taught him that if you promised someone something, you had to keep it.

Link's father looked at him a little curiously, so did his mother. "Do you want to go to the Lumpy Pumpkin, Link?" she asked.

"No," Link lied, still chewing his lip. "Maybe… could we fly over by the tall trees and I could try swinging a sword? A _real_ sword?" he asked.

His father grinned and ruffled his hair. "Sure, we can do that," he'd said.

They flew to the bamboo island then, and Link swung his father's sword until he was sore all through his arms and back. His father flew them home just before it got dark. The Crimson Loftwing butted Link in the chest before flying off into the darkness.

That night, Link's parents made him his favorite soup for supper and the battered toast for dessert, then all sat together in their bedroom and read book after book, laughing and talking, until Link finally fell asleep.

The last thing he thought was that he hadn't seen Zelda since the ceremony ended. He wondered why she never came to find him.

The next day, Link slept until _eleven o'clock_ , which was odd because usually Zelda had him up by eight-thirty at the latest. When he finally _did_ get up, he went outside and found his Loftwing waiting for him. He knew wasn't allowed to fly him yet, but Link still liked sitting on him all the same. After he had some breakfast, he went to find Zelda. She wasn't in her room and he couldn't find her anywhere on the island, which he thought was really strange.

The day after that, he saw her flying by the plaza with Owlan, looking focused and determined as she flew. Link ran to the _very_ edge of the platform, waving frantically as she passed.

" _Zelda_! _Hey_!" he shouted, jumping up and down to make sure she saw him. She looked at him for a moment, then looked straight ahead and flew away a little faster. Link frowned and ruffled his hair, a dull ache settling in his stomach. Why was she ignoring him?

Zelda didn't speak to Link for a _week_ after the Ceremony. A whole _week_. Link started hanging out with Fledge, which was fine, but it wasn't the same. Fledge was _nice_ enough, but he was quiet so it made it difficult to do things because Link didn't talk much either. Link felt bored, and… a little angry.

One afternoon, he saw Zelda in the bazaar, but she just turned and walked away from him. After that, he walked straight to Fledge's house to tell him about it, fists clenched tight at his sides.

"She won't t-talk to me now," Link grumbled. "I saw her by the bazaar and she just… s-s-stormed off. I don't know _wh_ - _why_ she's angry at me," he muttered, picking at blades of grass.

"Have you asked her?"

"I just _said_ she won't t-talk to me," he explained, angry that his stutter kept coming back. It was probably because he was nervous, but still. "How can I ask her if she w-won't talk to m-me?"

Fledge considered this. "You know what you should do, you should do something to get her attention so she _has_ to talk to you. Remember when she got so mad at you because you climbed the broken windmill again? You could do that. Or, she likes the pictures you draw, so maybe you could make her a picture? If you gave her one she'd have to at least say 'thank you' or 'no, thank you,' wouldn't she?" he asked fairly.

"Yeah, I-I guess," said Link thoughtfully. "But wh-what should I make her a picture of? Sh-She's got about t-ten of my Loftwing drawings."

"Maybe you could draw _her_ Loftwing," Fledge suggested. "Or yours, she really liked yours. _Everyone_ liked yours. They were all so jealous of you."

" _Jealous_?" Link asked, confused.

"Well, _yeah_!" Fledge said. "You're the first person to have a Crimson Loftwing in a _seventy_ years Pipit says. He said all the bird researchers wrote that the color went extinct, but _you_ got one... and he came right for you! Pipit said Crimson Loftwings are picky about who they had for a rider… a lot of times they came, but never chose someone; but he _picked_ you. And the way you _flew_ ," he sighed, sounding awed. "It was _awesome_ , Link. Even _Pipit_ was jealous, and he's had his Loftwing for a year."

Link scrunched up his nose. There was nothing to be _jealous_ of. Everyone had their birds now, and maybe his _was_ a rare color but that didn't mean anything. "Were _you_ jealous?"

Fledge's cheeks turned red. "Kind of… but not anymore. I've got my own Loftwing to worry about," he said, smiling a little at the bright green bird resting beside him. "So, do you think you'll make her a picture?"

Link chewed his lip, looking at his Loftwing who was nosing the ground next to him. The Loftwing tucked its head around Link's, chirping quietly as it did. He smiled and looked out over the edge of the island at the knights circling the sky. He saw two Loftwings flying to the Lumpy Pumpkin and thought about his promise to Zelda… that he would only try the famous spiced cider when he was with her.

"No, n-not a picture," Link said, chewing his lip. "I've… I've g-got a better idea."

Link waited until the sun was just starting to set. There was a ten-minute break between when the knights ended day patrol and the night patrol began. The skies were always clear then, save for one or two knights who flew in a wide circle around the whole island. They didn't need many out since no one flew at night, just a few in case someone slipped off the edge…

The two knights were heading to the north side of the island now. Link would have to go fast, but his Loftwing shouldn't have a problem with it. They'd flown extremely fast on their first flight, and when his dad had taken him out a few times they'd gone fast then, too. If he went fast, he would be fine.

Link dug twenty rupees out of the bank in his room, put on a red tunic and pulled a long red scarf over his head, hoping all the red would help him blend in with the Loftwing's feathers so no one would see him. After that, he walked up the hill behind his house, climbed onto the wooden platform near the old broken windmill, and jumped off like he'd seen his father do so many times.

The fall was exciting at first, but soon became terrifying when Link remembered he couldn't whistle very loud. He pushed his fingers in his mouth and blew, but no sound came out. Perhaps he hadn't thought this through all that well. He was falling _really_ fast now. He tried again… and again… and _again_ … and _finally_ on the fifth time, sound came out. It was quiet though, and Link panicked that maybe it wasn't loud enough to-

Link collided with warm feathers and let out a yelp of relief. His Loftwing had come, its feathers were warm and reassuring when Link fisted his fingers into them. The Loftwing screeched, sounding as though it disapproved of what he was doing, but Link settled in on his back and pressed him forward. " _Just fly straight_!" he shouted. The bird obeyed. Link wasn't exactly sure, but it seemed to sense his urgency and flew faster than they had on any of their other flights.

When he landed, the dark-haired girl from the Pairing Ceremony was standing outside. Link thanked Hylia and every other Goddess he could think of that she was _there_ so he didn't have to go in where other adults would be.

" _Hey_!" she cried when he landed down in their pumpkin patch. " _Wha_ \- it's Link, right?" she said, looking at the Crimson Loftwing he was on.

Link jumped down. " _I need… cider_ ," he panted a little desperately, pushing the twenty rupees into her palm. "Do you have any?"

She looked confused for a second, then her expression turned furious. " _You're_ not supposed to be _flying_! You're too-"

" _I know_! Just… I _need_ it. It's important!"

"Your _father_ is one of the _Rescue Knight_ s! If he finds out-"

"The longer we stay out here the m-more likely that will b-be! Just… please… _K-Kina_!" he shouted, remembering her name finally. "I'll owe you," he said, very desperate now.

She made a face. "You're going to owe me _SO MUCH_ , Link," she growled before running inside the restaurant. Link twisted his fingers and bounced nervously on the balls of his feet while waiting for her to return. Finally, after what felt like forever, she came back with a large bottle of cider.

"It's not twenty rupees," she said. "It's only ten, so-"

"Just k-keep it all," Link said, snatching the steaming hot cider out of her hands and shoving it inside his sweater. "Thank y-you so much!" he shouted before jumping back on his Loftwing and taking off into the sky. He meant to fly straight back to the windmill, but the Loftwing banked very wide and went around the South side of the island.

"Wait- _where_ -"

The bird squawked quietly, and Link saw that his father and a few other Knights were standing outside his house laughing. There were also several knights on the plaza platform. The Night Patrol was about to take off. He thanked Hylia again, this time for making his bird smart enough to know _exactly_ what Link needed to do even when he couldn't see it himself.

The bird hovered over the edge of the Academy and Link didn't waste any time jumping off. He reached his hands out and fortunately (or unfortunately, for how much it hurt his shoulders) caught the edge of the rail on the small balcony. This meant he wouldn't have to walk _through_ the Academy to get to Zelda's room; he could go straight to her window, which is what he did after he hauled himself up and over the railing.

Zelda was inside at her desk, a thick book in front of her. Link tapped on the window and she looked up, a little confused. When she finally realized where the tapping was coming from, she gasped and jumped out of her chair. The chair fell over backwards and made a loud noise when it hit the floor. Both of them cringed at the sound, then Zelda dragged it over to the window and climbed on top of it.

"Link, _what are you doing_!? _How_ did you get _up_ here?" she asked frantically after she'd pried the window open. She seized hold of his arm, then his shoulders, pulling hard as he tried to climb through the window. It was a lot smaller than it looked. Even as small as he was, Link barely fit. When he was inside he straightened up, ruffling his hair and grinning wildly while Zelda stared at him in shock. Link wiped his forehead and tried to act like this was just a casual visit.

" _What are you doing_?" she snapped.

"I… I…" he started, stammering a little. He reached into the pocket of his overlarge sweater and handed her the bottle of steaming hot cider. "I brought you something."

Zelda took it, confused at first, then her face went white and she gasped loudly. "This… is this _pumpkin_ _cider_?" she asked, watching as Link nodded. " _How_ did you get this?"

Link opened his mouth, excited to tell her what he'd done for her, but then he saw the absolutely _shocked_ look she had and snapped his jaw shut. He scrunched his face a little, shrugged, and ruffled his hair with one hand. Zelda waited for an explanation, but the words got stuck in Link's throat.

"I… w-well… I… I-"

" _You_ _FLEW_?!" she whisper-screamed, utterly appalled. "You… you _flew_ your _Loftwing_ to the Lumpy Pumpkin and got _cider_?"

"Well, w-we talked about getting it t-t-together after the ceremony… but y-you never-"

"Link, did anyone _see_ you?" she gasped, walking to her door and pressing on it even though it was already shut. "You can't _fly_! _None_ of us can! And it's _dark_ outside! Oh, Goddess _help_ me, Link, _what were you thinking_?"

"N-no one s-saw me. W-Well, _Kina_ s-saw me," he admitted, though this did nothing to quell Zelda's shock. "But she w-won't _tell_ -"

"You're going to get into _so much trouble_ if anyone finds out! They'll - I don't know _what_ they'll do, Link, but you're going to be in _so much_ -"

"I w-wanted to b-bring you something!" he stammered. Why was she so upset? He'd done it to be nice to her after she'd _ignored_ him for a week! A whole _week_! "I th-thought you'd like it!"

"Why would you bring me _cider_?"

"Well, I-"

" _There's no excuse for this, Link_! What were you-"

" _You weren't talking to me_!" he snapped, louder than he intended. Zelda jumped a little, but kept glaring right back at him. She opened her mouth, but Link held up _his_ finger in _her_ face for once.

" _You_ haven't talked to me since _Pairing Day_ and I _know_ you saw me when you were out flying… _and_ yesterday in the bazaar," he accused, thankful his stutter had vanished. Zelda kept glaring, but shrunk a little in height. "I thought… I _wanted_ to get this with _you_ , we'd talked about going together, and then you-"

"I went and did something with my Father instead," she explained, frowning a little. "So, did _you_ ," she added, sneering a little.

"Yeah, but _after_ that, I looked for you all day and then… Y _ou completely ignored me_! For a _week_! I thought we were _best friends_ and you… just… stopped _talking_ to me!" he grumbled, angry now. He folded his arms over his chest and scowled at her. He'd risked _all that_ just to bring her something nice, and _this_ is how she reacted?

Zelda was still frowning. She looked at the bottle of cider with a conflicted expression. Link went on. "Why'd you stop talking to me, _huh_? Why didn't you wave at me when I saw you flying? Why're you _mad_ at me, Zelda?"

"I'm not… _mad_ at you," she said, pressing her lips together. "I mean… I _was_ mad, but… it's not _your_ fault," she muttered. "My father said its… it wasn't like you could help it. You didn't plan it or anything, he said."

Link gaped at her. "Were you _jealous_ over the _bird_?" he asked incredulously.

" _Yes_ ," she said, sounding reluctant to admit it. "I _was_! He just came right _to you_!" she sobbed, voice shaking a little. " _You_ didn't even get up on time to _pray_ , and he just came right to you! You were _late_ , and I… _I_ got up! _I_ was _there_ and I _prayed_! But that didn't… I didn't…" she muttered, trailing off.

"I _prayed_ too," Link muttered angrily.

"After everyone else did," she reminded him, matching his tone.

"Yeah, but I still _prayed_. I didn't… I don't want you to hate me because of a stupid _bird_ ," he grumbled.

Zelda frowned. "I don't _hate_ you, Link. And your bird isn't _stupid_ ," she said, turning away from him and facing the wall. They both had their arms crossed over their chests, but where Link was angry, Zelda had slumped a little. "I was… I shouldn't have ignored you like that. I… I'm sorry," she said, a little shaky, but then she spun around and glared at him again. "But that was _no reason_ to go and do _this_!" she growled, gesturing to the bottle of cider.

Link pouted and hugged himself tighter. "You don't like it?"

"It's not… It… Well, I don't _know_ …" she admitted, looking at the bottle of cider. "I mean… I've never had it. Did _you_ have it?"

Link shook his head. "No. My dad offered to take me, but… I waited for you. I _promised_ you I would."

Zelda's shoulders slumped a little more. She chewed her lip for a minute then looked back up at him. "What did you do instead?"

"We went to the bamboo island and my dad let me swing a sword. A _real_ sword," Link said.

Zelda smiled. "I bet… I bet that was fun. My dad took me around the islands to the North and then we just went home, actually. He _finally_ read the Knight book to me when I asked," she said, unscrewing the lid on the pumpkin cider and taking a drink. She smiled then, and pointed to her desk. "And he gave me this," she added, handing a link a small picture in a frame. It was a picture of Zelda's father and a woman with long, sun-colored hair and bright blue eyes.

"Is this your mom?" Link guessed. Zelda nodded, sitting down on her bed. Link looked at the picture for a moment, finally understanding why everyone always told Zelda she looked just like her mother. He sat next to her a moment later, smiling a little when she handed him the bottle of cider. Link took a long drink and licked his lips. "This is _really_ good."

Zelda nodded. "It is… you should have gotten _two_ bottles," she teased, grinning when Link laughed.

They drank the entire bottle, passing it back and forth between them. It was warm, and sweet, and Zelda said it was delicious, the best thing she'd ever had; better than the fried toast his mom made for breakfast. Then she started talking about a book she'd read from her father's library about loftwings. It said they were originally Loftwings were just a bird for the Gods only; that was why there were so many wingcrest and bird statues all over their island. The book also mentioned that Loftwings would never travel below the cloud barrier because of the Goddess's desire to keep her people safe from the forsaken land below.

This last part had convinced Zelda there was more below Skyloft. Link wasn't sure what he thought about that, but she was so excited he just listened to her talk. It was then that Link realized he'd _really_ missed listening to her talk.

"The book said when the Goddess put our island in the sky, she told the loftwings they belonged to us now, and they could _never_ go below the clouds until the war was finished and evil had been wiped from the land. Why would a book on Loftwings mention the surface if there wasn't more out there?" she asked

"I don't know," Link admitted.

"I think it's real. I really do. There's _got_ to be more out there, don't you think?" she asked, taking another drink from the bottle. Link nodded in agreement.

"You know," Zelda mumbled.. "I was really nervous on my first flight," she admitted with frown. "That was another reason I was… mad. You got up there like you'd been doing it forever and just… _flew_. You were so brave," she murmured.

"Um… the first minute or so?" Link said sheepishly. "I was _terrified_ ," he admitted then.

" _Really_?" Zelda said, sounding surprised and relieved all at once.

"Yeah, he went really high _really_ fast, and… there was no ground underneath me," Link explained. "I got over it quick, but it was scary at first."

"Karane said she was nervous on her first flight, too," Zelda replied. "She said it gets better, and it has. Owlan is taking me out for about an hour every day so I'm getting used to it now."

Link nodded. "My dad usually takes me, but my mom took me out yesterday afternoon and that was fun. But… she flies so _slow_ ," he mumbled hesitantly. "I like her Loftwing, but they're both so… _careful._ I want to go fast."

"Well, not _too_ fast," Zelda said, sounding a little nervous.

"I have to go fast someday if I'm going to win the Wing Ceremony," he said, watching Zelda nod in agreement..

"Did you name your Loftwing?" she asked then, watching Link shake his head. "Me neither, and I really thought I would. I mean… I suppose I named him Blue, like your dad calls his Loftwing Grey. It works. It didn't _feel_ like he wanted a real name, you know?" she told Link as she finished the last of the cider. "But he's very gentle. Owlan says he's a natural navigator and would be good at delivering messages."

Link nodded, wondering what his bird would be good at, aside from going very fast. "What's yours like?" Zelda asked. "Besides fast, I mean. He _must_ be if you made it to the Lumpy Pumpkin and back before the knights switched shifts," she added. "Is there anything else about him?"

Link shrugged. He didn't know how to say he thought his bird _talked_ to him, or that he thought the Loftwing could read his thoughts at times. There had been times the last week when he'd just been sitting outside feeling lonely and the Loftwing had come up to him, bumping him with its long beak before settling down next to him. It had been helpful without Zelda to keep him company.

"I was lonely, and… it was like he knew that, so he came and sat by me a lot." he admitted, watching her frown. "I mean… Fledge is great, but he's quiet, and he's not you," Link said. " _You're_ my best friend, Zelda."

"I know," she murmured. "You too, Link. And I'm _really_ sorry. I should have just talked to you."

Link shrugged. "It's all right now, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's all right," she smiled.

Link nodded. "But, my bird, I… It feels like he _knows_ me," Link tried to explain. "Like we've been friends forever, or we were supposed to be."

Zelda smiled then. "It seemed that way. No one had ever seen anything like that. You really were amazing, Link."

Link blushed a little and Zelda smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder.

Link leaned his head back against hers and his heart thumped a little harder in his chest for some reason. Fledge once said it was weird that Link had a girl for a best friend, but Link never thought of it that way because Zelda liked most of the same things he did. And he trusted Zelda. They looked out for each other.

"I know it was risky," she said a moment later. "And it was kind of crazy what you did, but… thank you for the cider," she said, a moment later.

"You're welcome," Link replied.

"So we're okay?" she asked.

"Yeah… we're okay," he grinned.

And they were, until they left Zelda's room to walk back to Link's house. 

* * *

Thank you for any comments, it gives me things to think about and add into the story as I go. I had to age certain in-game NPC's up or down because I didn't needed characters and didn't feel like creating a bunch of original ones for this story when there were things I could work with. Hope it was enjoyed! Also sorry it's a week late, I couldn't get the file to post for a few days and then I was traveling.


	4. That Time Link Got a Nickname

**That Time Link Got a Nickname**

* * *

Link and Zelda had just left the front doors of the Academy, and planned on walking past the pond on the way back to Link's house. There were usually fireflies down there and they thought it would be fun to catch some. But when they got outside, they found Zelda's father and Link's father standing on the bridge, _waiting_ for them. Zelda and Link both froze, with Zelda stowing the empty cider bottle behind her back.

"I don't want to know whose idea it was," Gaepora said very sternly, eyes narrowed under their bushy brows. "I just want to impress on _both_ of you that what Link did was-"

"It was my idea," Link blurted out. His stomach twisted when his father crossed his arms and stared down at him, face hard and eyebrows narrowed. He was still wearing his Knight's uniform; Link could see the chainmail underneath his tunic and the sword at his back. He hadn't been home yet; or he had, but left right away…

Gaepora frowned at Link. "That's very noble Link, but-"

"No, it w-was," Link maintained. "It's the truth. Zelda had n-nothing to do with it. Sh-She didn't e-even kn-know."

Link could hear Zelda swallow next to him, and she shrunk a little, stepping behind him. Link positioned himself in front of her for some reason, like he was trying to hide that she was there.

Zelda's father was quiet then, though he stared over Link's shoulder at Zelda for a moment, looking unconvinced. Then he looked to Link's father, who pushed a hand through his white-blond hair and sighed heavily. "All right then. Let's go," he said in a flat voice, motioning for Link to follow.

Link nodded, following after his father. He saw Zelda reach out for him for a moment, her mouth frozen on a word, but she swallowed it back and shrunk a little when her father walked toward her and gestured she should go inside. Link stole a quick glance over his shoulder, offering her a reassuring smile. He was a little upset to see that she had tears in her eyes again. He didn't want her to cry; this wasn't her fault. Link bit his lip and kept his hands stiff at his sides, waiting for his father to speak.

"I'm _very_ disappointed in you, Link," his father said quietly. Link flinched. He would rather be yelled at, even though his parents rarely yelled.

"That was reckless, and irresponsible, and _dangerous_ ," his father went on, his voice shaky for some reason. "You may have a natural talent for flying, Link, but you are _seven-years-old_."

"I-I'm… _almost_ eight," Link said, as though this somehow made up for it.

His father let out an angry sigh. "There are things in the sky you are _not_ equipped to handle yet," he said very quickly. "You put yourself at risk. Why would you let Zelda convince you to-"

" _Sh-she didn't t-tell me to g-go_ ," Link practically yelled, voice cracking a little. "I-I did it all… all on m-my own. It w-was m-my idea. I didn't even t-tell her I was coming o-over, I just w-went over."

Link's father shook his head. " _Why,_ Link? Why did you go in the first place? I know you've always wanted to try that cider, but to do such a foolish thing just to -"

"It wasn't just f-for m-me," he started, going into the whole story. How he and Zelda promised they would visit the Lumpy Pumpkin together and they would have the cider together, then how she had cried during the Pairing Ceremony and didn't speak to him for a week. Link explained that Fledge explained maybe she was jealous, like everyone else had been, and Link thought if he did something nice for her-

"S-she'd t-talk to m-me again," he said, stuttering worse than he had in years. His father seemed to pick up on this and frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Link, I'm sure she would have talked to you again even if you didn't give her something. Maybe she just needed time. You should have waited," he said, then his tone became very soft. "Listen, I _know_ you and Zelda are close, but -"

"She's my b _-_ best f-friend," Link said. "I- I- l- _love_ her."

Link's father gave him a strange look, his mouth strained, though it curled at the corners just a bit. He stared at the ground for a minute, then looked back at Link. "Link," he said, a little less stern now. "If you _love_ Zelda, maybe you should have thought about how upset she'd be by you doing something so dangerous. Was she upset?"

Link hadn't thought this. "Well, _y-yeah_ , but she was happy t-too."

"She was probably happy to see you then, but I'm guessing she's not very happy now," he noted, gesturing towards the front door of their house. Link's father pushed it open and let him inside first. He didn't say anything. Neither did Link. Link's mother was sitting on the couch and had nothing but a frown for him.

"Is Zelda g-going to get in t-trouble?" Link asked when his father had closed the front door.

"I think you should worry about _yourself_ right now," his mother said in a cold voice.

Link just stared at the floor. "What's going t-to happen t-to m-me?" he asked very quietly.

His mother stood up then, her expression very strained. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed heavily. "For starters, you need to get undressed and get in the bath. You haven't had one since the night before the ceremony. Then, you will get your pajamas on and get in bed. We'll discuss the rest in the morning."

Link nodded, doing _exactly_ as he was told. He ran his own bath, not waiting for the water to warm up very much because he just wanted to get it over with. Then, he put on his pajamas and even brushed his hair without being asked to. He was sitting on his bed when his mom came in and blew out his lamp.

"N-no story?" he asked quietly.

"Not tonight," she said, pulling a blanket over him and patting his hair before she pulled the room divider closed a bit. Link could hear his parents talking in low voices and pulled the covers completely over his head, trying not to listen. He thought about Zelda and wondered if she was thinking about him, or if she was in any trouble. Link thought perhaps this had been a bad idea, but he'd had fun drinking cider with her and they'd had fun talking about his flight. Link thought he'd do it all over again if it meant she'd keep talking to him… which meant he really _did_ love her, right?

Link couldn't fall asleep. Usually his parents came in by now and went to sleep in the bed across from his, but they were still awake too. He laid in bed and recited every prayer for forgiveness he knew of. Then he told himself the Knights of Skyloft story three times. It was still no use. He'd just begun counting the squares on his quilt when he heard the front door to the house open up.

" _Gae_?" Link's dad said, sounding alarmed. "It's after midnight, has something happened?"

Link crawled out of bed and slid close as he could to the thin divider as he could, making sure to keep his feet pulled up and out of view. He held his breath and waited for Zelda's father to start talking.

"No, nothing dramatic. Well, I guess it depends on what you consider _dramatic_ ," he said with a strange little laugh. "I came because… well, I came because Zelda is positively _distraught_. I have never seen her this upset over anything. I finally got her settled down but she cried herself to sleep."

"Did she say what actually happened? Link maintains it was totally his idea," Link's father said.

"And she says the same thing. She said he showed up at the window, knocking to get in and that was the first she'd heard of it," Gaepora replied.

"Then there's no reason for _her_ to be punished," Link's mom said gently. "I know Zelda is the leader between the two of them, but Link isn't always so innocent either. He thinks he was sneaky about it, but every morning he used to follow Orel after he left for patrols and wait for him to jump off so he could run _right up_ to the edge of the platform and wave. And one time I caught him _climbing_ that broken windmill."

"Yes," Gaepora laughed. "Zelda said he used to do that until _she_ stopped him," he added. "She said something about _she's_ the one who keeps him safe, so she's upset because she 'failed' to do that, and she thinks he's not going to be able to go to the Academy. She's been wailing since you left, saying that he's _meant_ to be a knight and it's all her fault he did this because she was jealous and not talking to him."

"So, she _was_ jealous?" asked Link's father. "Link mentioned something about that, but I didn't think anything of it. Why was she jealous?"

"Because of the way that bird took to him," Gaepora explained with a sigh. "Ever since she was a toddler she imagined meeting her Loftwing and having it be _exactly_ like that. I tried to tell her it can take time to find the one you're meant for, but you know Zelda: once she gets an idea in her head it's hard to talk her out of it," he explained. "When that bird landed and went straight for Link, it broke her heart a little that it wasn't her. It wasn't that she wasn't _happy_ for Link, she was ecstatic, but she was _horribly_ jealous, and I don't think she knew _what_ to do about it."

Link heard his mother sigh. "I don't think she was the only one jealous," she said. "I talked to Fledge's mother and she said he was asking why his Loftwing didn't like him as much as Link's did."

"Well, it's not as though Link could help it," Gaepora said fairly. "That was an incredibly rare encounter. I've never seen something like that in all my life."

"Neither had we," Link's father admitted. "I talked to Croo and he said he can't remember seeing anything like it either."

"It also doesn't help Zelda read _somewhere_ that Hylia herself flew a Crimson Loftwing," Gaepora said. "She… has a complicated view of the Goddess," he added in a strange voice. "I told her it was just another story, but she is convinced those stories about the surface and the war are all true."

Link's mother laughed gently. "She _does_ like the old stories in those books you have."

Gaepora chuckled as well, then sighed. "But… she is _very_ upset, and she all but demanded I come down here and talk to you both and make sure that Link will still be able to attend the Academy."

Link's father sighed. "That's really not up to us," he said, voice a little tight. "It's up to _you_. Though, now that I'm thinking about it, perhaps… perhaps he doesn't have the right temperament for it. Knights have to be cautious and aware of their actions, and this… _this_ was irresponsible and showed a clear lack of thought and recklessness that I'm not sure suits the position."

"Orel," Gaepora said gently a moment later. "I think you're being a little hard on him because what Link did _scared_ you."

"Of course it _scared_ me!" Orel muttered, voice tight. "That's our _only_ child! Our _son_ and- Larke, how _long_ did we _try_? We tried for _years_ to have him. We lost so many, and he… he's the only thing we -"

"Orel, I _know_. It scared me too," Larke said gently. "But, I agree with Gae; you're being a little harsh on him."

"Where you see your son being reckless," Gaepora went on, " _I_ see a seven-year-old boy who just wanted to talk to his friend again. You know this is not the first time we've had someone take off while they were underage. Henya will tell you that Rusta was flying regularly before he was ten much to the chagrin of everyone on the island. Remember how Peater loved to show off and how much trouble he got in? And flying aside, children have done _far_ worse than what Link did."

Orel sighed heavily. "But he stole-

"He didn't _steal_ anything," Gaepora interrupted, sounding a little surprised. "I spoke with Pumm and he said Kina came in with twenty rupees, took the cider out, then came back with ten extra. He paid for it and wouldn't even take the change."

"I knew he didn't _steal_ , Orel, I told you that earlier," Larke frowned. "Link would _never_ do something like that. I'm guessing he was in such a rush to get out of there he told the girl to keep the extra to get her off his back."

Gaepora laughed. "I agree. And knowing Kina, if Link swore any kind of oath to her, she'll make sure he upholds it whether it's tomorrow or five years from now."

Link's father sighed, tapping his foot on the floor. "Perhaps I am being harsh. Perhaps I'm mad at _myself_ because I didn't see my own son jumping off the edge of the of the island. You know he can't whistle well? I've been trying to teach him, but it's not coming very quickly. How he called that bird…" he muttered, trailing off and shuddering.

"Well, with the connection they seem to have, perhaps the bird _sensed_ him before Link managed it," Gaepora suggested, sighing and rising to his feet. "So, can I tell my distraught daughter that her friend will still be allowed to attend school and become a knight eventually?"

Orel laughed. "Of course, but _do_ tell her it will be at least a week if not two before she sees Link again because he will be here under house arrest."

"I'll be glad to tell her that length of time rather than ' _forever_ ,'" Gaepora sighed. "You should be thankful Link is not nearly as dramatic. Or, perhaps it's just girls. She was wailing that she loved him, and she was ' _never going to see him again_ ,'" he said, mimicking Zelda's voice.

"She said she loved him?" Larke laughed. "Oh, Hylia bless her little heart, that's so sweet."

"He said the same thing on the way home," Orel added. "I told him he should have just waited for her to come around and start talking to him again. He said he couldn't wait because she was his best friend and he loved her."

"That's the cutest thing," Larke said, still laughing. "They are really sweet together."

"If you think that's cute you should see what's laying around the divider," Orel said, chuckling and gesturing to Link's feet that had slipped into view. When they peered around the divider, Link was sitting up against it curled into a little ball, snoring softly.

"How much do you think he heard?" Larke asked, bending down to look him over. She frowned when she pushed Link's hair off his face. "His cheeks are wet."

"Then he probably heard my comment about him not being a knight," Orel said, sounding a little regretful. "I _thought_ he was listening, and I thought perhaps I should make it clear that this was a severe misstep in judgement on his part… but," he went on, kneeling so he could get a better look at Link. "Like you both said, maybe that was too harsh and I only said it because I'm angry with myself."

"Orel, you and fifteen other knights patrol those skies and only one person saw him. He timed it so you were in between shifts. Though, perhaps this means we should have a morning, afternoon, _and_ night shift instead of just the two in case something like this happens again," Gaepora mused before patting Orel on the shoulder.

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Larke murmured, looking down at Link. "You wouldn't want Link to beat himself up endlessly over one careless mistake."

Orel nodded, pushing Link's dark blond hair off his face before lifting him and putting him back in bed. "No, I wouldn't," he said when he stood back up.

Gaepora nodded. "Recklessness aside, I must say… he will be an _impeccable_ flyer someday. He's got a natural ability. You must be very proud."

Orel smiled. "I am. We… we're both very proud."

When Link woke up the next morning, his stomach was very upset. He'd fallen asleep right after his father had said something about him being reckless and irresponsible and perhaps he shouldn't become a knight after all. He didn't feel like eating breakfast. All he felt like doing was going back to sleep, but his mother had been calling him for over an hour, so he supposed he should get up.

"Link, you're in trouble, but you're not going to be walked off the platform about it," his mother said, picking up his fork and handing it to him. Link cut into the pancakes, eating slowly so he didn't get sick. "You understand that you are _not_ going out to play today, correct?"

Link nodded, staying quiet as he ate. His mother pressed her lips together. "Two weeks. No playing with friends, and no calling your Loftwing."

"What if he just… comes?" Link asked, thinking that sometimes the bird just stopped in on his own.

"You won't be outside much, so I'm guessing that won't be a problem," his mother told him.

Link swallowed. "Is Zelda in any trouble?"

"No, she isn't," his mother assured him. "But she knows you _are_ , so she won't be coming by. Though, you _know_ all this because you got _up_ and were _listening_ last night when her father came," she said, giving him a disapproving look.

Link's heart stopped. He set the fork down and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. His mother leaned forward, her expression softening a little. "How much did you hear?"

Link swallowed. "Am I… am I n-not going to the Academy?"

"You are still going to the Academy."

"Dad thought I stole money-"

"He didn't think you stole _money_ , he thought you stole the cider."

Link shook his head and his mother ruffled his hair. "I knew that you didn't, and deep down, so did your dad."

"Will I be helping with the mending?"

His mother laughed then. " _Oh_ , you'll be _helping_ , all right," she said in a strange voice. Link didn't quite understand, but didn't ask any more questions.

He finished his breakfast in silence, then followed his mother to her sewing station. To his surprise, she sat him down in the chair in front of the machine his father built and handed him a spool of thread.

"It's past time you learned how to do some mending of your own," his mother said, sitting down next to him and showing him how to thread roll the thread through the strange spindles on the machine.

Link spent the next week washing dishes, sweeping the house, learning to sew, and outside with his father when he got home from patrols. Link thought he'd be doing chores outside, so he was really confused when his father walked him to his woodcarving table.

"I think you've done enough mending for today, don't you?" he'd asked as he took out his tools and a project he'd been working on. Link had just nodded, thinking that this really wasn't a punishment, but he wasn't going to say anything. Carving was something he'd always wanted to know more about so he was happy to learn. The first night Link had just handed his dad tools, but the second night he'd given him a chisel and showed him how to shave parts of the wood off.

When Link thought about it, his life was just like it had been before Zelda had come and asked him to play. He couldn't complain because he knew his punishment could have been _much_ worse, but after a few days he was bored out of his mind. He'd wondered _how_ he'd managed to do this every day instead of playing with his friends. Link didn't _mind_ the mending his mother had him do, but he wasn't very good at it. He hated washing the dishes, and sweeping the floor every day even though it wasn't dirty. Link had always been anxious for his father to get home, but it was worse now because he knew he'd get to go outside when he did. Helping with woodcarving was the best part of the day. That and the letters Zelda managed to sneak him.

Owlan said her Loftwing would be good at delivering messages, and he'd been right. Link yelped in shock the first morning the blue face appeared at his window, but then he realized what it was and cracked it open just enough to take the letter from the bird's beak. His mother was up, but she didn't seem to notice, so Link tore the envelope open and read the note.

"… _I'm glad you're not in that much trouble. When you aren't grounded I'll teach you how to whistle properly. That cider was good. Owlan took me there to get more the other day. I wanted to bring you some, but I didn't want to risk getting you in trouble. I'm flying a lot better now. Maybe Owlan will take you flying when you can play again. I've been playing with Karane and Peatrice some days, and Fledge others. Pipit comes to play sometimes too. He's kind of bossy but he's nice. When you're done being grounded we can all hang out together. You're still my best friend, Link. I miss you._

 _Love, Zelda._ "

The letter had made Link smile, though he couldn't think of a reply other than " _I miss you too_." She sent him notes every day after that telling him what she'd been up to. Link always wrote back even if it was short. Zelda's letters always had a lot more in them than Link's did, but he figured that was because she talked more. When his Mom caught him with one Link thought she'd be upset, but she just got this funny little smile on her face and went back to folding the shirts she'd just washed.

Link had three days left of his punishment when his mother woke him up extra early one morning. After he ate breakfast, she set a basket of folded Knights uniforms in front of him.

"You need to walk this up to the Academy and give it to Horwell," she said. "He's the instructor with the-"

"Red scarf and long brown hair," Link finished for her.

His mother smiled, then adopted a stern expression. "You are to come straight home, understand?"

Link nodded, but noticed his mother was smirking a little. He didn't understand why but he wasn't about to ask either. He left right after that and walked the long path from his house up to the Academy. The basket was very heavy, and he had to stop a few times to adjust his grip.

"Hey! Link!" someone called to him when he'd gotten into the Plaza. He saw dark-haired, freckled Pipit running to meet him from across the bridge. Link waited until he caught up then kept on walking. "Hey, can you come out now?"

Link shook his head. "I just have to take these up to the Academy."

"Oh, that's right, your mom makes all the knight uniforms, doesn't she," he said, watching Link nod. "When can you come out again?"

"Three days."

"Do you want to hang out?" Pipit asked. "The gate to the cave got broke and I've been wanting to go inside it."

Link paused, wondering why Pipit would ask _him_ to do this. He had other friends, Link thought. "I… guess."

"Zelda said you'd do it," he grinned. "Her and Peatrice went up the other day, but they were too scared to go in. Girls, you know?"

"Zelda's not scared of stuff like that," Link said. "She climbs trees with me."

"Well, tree climbing is one thing, but that's the _cave_ ," he said. "There are Keese in there, and Parrow said the Chuchus that come out at night are in there too. Sometimes the Remlits go in and they're wild at night, I've heard. I just want to go in and see it."

"All right," Link said. Pipit grinned at him then ran back towards the houses across the bridge. Link shrugged and climbed the stairs that led to the Academy.

"Hey, it's the Night Rider!" someone shouted when he got inside.

Link froze at the top of the stairs, feeling his ears get hot. A student walked up to him then. He was broad-shouldered and broad chested and towered over Link. Behind him was another student who had a long face and very fluffy hair. Link thought he recognized him as the boy who lived in the house by the pond and talked to his dad every now and then.

"How are you, kid? Are you ungrounded yet?" the broad chested student said with a grin.

"N-no?" Link replied..

"I reckon not," the long-faced student said with a laugh. "You know, that Loftwing of yours is a terror. Fastest bird I've ever seen. We were out the other day and he was circling and we tried to chase him-"

"You were _chasing_ my _L-Loftwing_?" Link said, a little angry.

"Not _chasing_ ," the broad-shouldered student replied. " _Racing_ is more like it. We came up on him and flew after him for a bit and-"

" _LINK_!"

Link turned just in time to be engulfed by a tangle of yellow hair as Zelda threw her arms around him, pinning them to his sides and forcing him to drop the basket. "Can you come play now?"

"No," he said a little quietly. He heard her sigh and release him, a little frown on her face. "I just… I have to take these to Horwell for-"

"And _you_ ," Zelda interrupted, as though she just remembered something. She spun around to face the broad-chested student and stretched herself up to dsher full height. "You were _chasing_ his Loftwing?"

"We weren't _chasing_ it, Little Zelda," he laughed. "We were-"

"You're not supposed to be _flying around,_ either," she said in that bossy voice she used when she was angry.

The long-faced student smirked a little. "Neither was he," he said gesturing to Link. Zelda rocked back on her heels and crossed her arms over her chest while Link just picked up the basket again and avoided the long-faced student's gaze. "But… sometimes you push the rules a bit."

" _Hmm_ ," she murmured. "Well, leave his Loftwing alone."

"Will do, Little Zelda," he said, adopting a knight's stance as he saluted her. The broad-chested student laughed.

"I'm _not_ little!" she shouted. "I'll be _eight_ at the end of summer. _Link_ is going to be eight in a few days. We're not _little_."

"Oh, yes, of _course_ ," the broad-chested student said, holding up two hands to try and pacify Zelda. "Hey, Kid, do you want us to take those to Horwell's office? They look heavy."

"No, I've got it," Link said, hefting the basket up in his arms.

The long-faced student smiled and elbowed the broader one. "All right, Night Rider. See you around," he said, grinning when the broad shoulder student gave Link a punch on the shoulder.

" _And don't call him that_!" Zelda snapped as they walked away. "Sorry," she murmured, turning back to Link. "That's Manu and Jakamar. They're second year students; they've still got another two years before they'll be knights. And I don't know _why_ they're calling you that anyway; it wasn't even night when you flew," she added, rolling her eyes.

"How do they know about it?" Link asked as they walked down the hall.

Zelda's face flushed red. "Well… I… don't be mad," she said, "but… I kind of told everyone about it. At least, everyone who _asked_ where you were and why I was in my room so often. My dad was cross with me the other day and told me not to talk about it anymore."

Link chewed his lip. "Did you tell Pipit?"

"Yeah," she said, a little sheepishly. "I told him, and Fledge, _and_ Karane. I _shouldn't_ have told Karane, though, because she really _did_ tell everyone."

"So, _everyone_ knows?" Link asked, feeling a little cold now.

"It's not a bad thing," Zelda reassured him. "It's not like you're going to get in trouble twice. And not that I would ever want you to do it _again_ ," she added sternly, "but everyone thinks… well, they think it was really cool. I do too. That was really brave, Link. It was stupid, but you were really brave."

Link pressed his lips together, trying to keep from smiling. They reached Horwell's office and knocked on the door. "Ah, Link," he smiled. "Your mother sent you with these?" he asked, gesturing to the basket. "Very good. The seniors will be excited to get them. Did she send anything else?"

Um… no?" Link replied. That was the only basket she had sent with him. She acted like this was all he had to bring.

"Oh, she must still be working on them then," he mused. "Thank you for bringing these so quickly."

Link nodded and gave Horwell a little smile. Zelda took his hand then and walked back towards the front of the hall where her room was.

"I can't stay," he said when Zelda went to pull him inside her room. "I have to go home right away."

"Oh," she replied, sounding glum. "Will… do you think you'll get in trouble if I walk home with you?"

Link considered this. His mother said he was just supposed to come straight home, and he was sure he couldn't play with Zelda, but he didn't see why he would get in trouble if she walked him home.

"I don't think so," he said, smiling when she grinned at him and looped her fingers through his.

Zelda told Link all about her week while they walked, even though she'd told him a lot in her letters. She talked about how boring it had been without him, and Link had to agree, though his week had been a different kind of boring. "I've just been doing dishes, and sweeping… the floor isn't even dirty and I'm _still_ sweeping."

"I have to sweep my room everyday too," she said. "I swear, when I have my _own_ house, I'm _never_ going to sweep."

"Me either," said Link as they arrived at his doorstep. He hesitated on pushing it in, wanting to hang out with Zelda longer. He looked at her and saw she was frowning a little.

"It's only three more days," he said.

"I know," she replied. "I just _miss_ you. You're more fun than anyone on this island."

"I don't know about that," said Link, thinking Pipit might be kind of fun to hang around with, and Karane couldn't be that bad.

"No, you are. I-" she started, then froze when Link's mom pushed the door open. " _I'll see you around_!" she yelped before turning around and trying to bolt off. Link's mom caught her gently by the arm.

"Well, _hey_ , Little Zelda," she said brightly. "You're going to run off without even saying hello?"

Zelda swallowed, a little embarrassed. "Hello, Larke."

"It was nice of you to walk Link home," she said, looking at the two of them with an amused expression.

"I… um… We didn't-"

"I came _straight_ home," Link said. "Just like you said."

"I know you did," she smiled. "You're not in trouble," she added, laughing when both of them relaxed. "You still have some mending to help me with, though."

"Right…" Link murmured, fiddling with the hair at the back of his head.

Larke considered him. "Maybe you should invite Zelda in and she can see how the machine works? She might find it interesting…"

Link perked up a little. "Do you want to come in and-"

"Yes, I would!" Zelda said, nodding enthusiastically.

Link sat down at the machine, showing Zelda how to run the thread through the spindles and use the pedal to operate it. He'd gotten the hang of it after a day or so, and it was much faster than stitching things by hand. After Link had gotten done with one shirt, his mother suggested he let Zelda give it a try which seemed to make her very happy.

She ended up staying the rest of the evening, even after Link's father got home and took him outside to carve wood. Link's mother took over teaching her then, and Link thought that was probably a good idea because she was a better teacher than he was. Zelda left just before supper, waving to Link as she walked away.

The next morning, his mother gave him another load of knight's uniforms to walk up to the academy, and Zelda walked him home again. When they got to his house, his mother smiled and invited Zelda inside to help with the sewing. She and Link took turns sewing clothing up until his father got home, then Link went outside to carve with him while Zelda stayed with his mom and continued to learn how to sew. Then they sat on the couch and read from a book Link's mother had given him to study until it was time for Zelda to go home.

They did this the last three days that Link was grounded. His mother kept insisting this was all the consequences of his actions, but Link couldn't help but think that spending time with Zelda wasn't exactly a punishment.

Finally, on Thursday, his mother told him he was free and he could do whatever he pleased. Link ran outside as soon as he was done with breakfast, and was not surprised to find Zelda waiting for him in the Plaza. Pipit and Fledge were with her, and they went to get Karane before heading up to the cave. Zelda and Karane had stuck by the entrance, but there was a steep drop off that Pipit helped Link climb down while Fledge stood nervously beside him.

"Do you _see_ anything down there?" Pipit asked, leaning over the edge of the little cliff.

"Just a bunch of spiders and bugs," Link said. "I don't think the Keese or Chuchus come out during the day."

" _Oh_ ," Pipit replied glumly. "We'll have to come back sometime when it's darker. Come on, I'll pull you up."

Link took a running dash at the wall of the cliff and jumped up it, catching Pipit's hand easily. "Woah, you _can_ jump really high," Pipit said, impressed.

"I _told_ you days ago that he could. Are you guys done yet?" Zelda said from the entrance. "This is boring, let's go fly kites or something…"

Pipit pulled Link up and they ran back to the front of the cave. They ran to each of their houses then, digging out kites from last year's Kite Day to fly over the Plaza. All of them stayed out until just before the sun set, then Fledge, Pipit, and Karane went home while Zelda sat with Link on the edge of the platform, watching their kite flutter in the breeze.

"Do you want to go do something else?" Zelda asked.

Link shrugged and chewed his bottom lip. "Actually," he began, feeling a little guilty for some reason. "I _kind_ of wanted to go home and help my dad with wood carving. I really like it," he explained, hoping she wouldn't be too upset. They used to hang out together until the sun was completely gone and the sky was dark, but he really liked having time alone with his dad now.

"That's fine," she replied, sounding more excited than he thought she would. When Link looked over at her, Zelda was twisting her fingers nervously. "Do you… do you think I could come with you, and your mom would teach me how to sew some more? I mean… I know she was doing it before just so you and I could hang out while you were still grounded, but-"

"Yeah, she would!" he said, excitedly. "She'd really like that."

"You think?"

"Yeah," Link assured her. "Then you could stay for supper, and we could read that book you brought over the other night."

"Okay!" Zelda grinned, jumping to her feet to reel the kite in.

This became their new routine until it was Link's came around on right after the Feast of Fire for the Summer Solstice. For the first time, he had a _real_ party, and people actually _came_. It was mostly Zelda's doing, but Fledge, Pipit, Karane, Peatrice, and the twins from across the bridge all shown up at his door and wished him a happy birthday that morning. His mother was surprised that there were so many kids at his door, but she'd relaxed after a bit and Link thought she enjoyed having them over just as much as he did. His mother even baked a second cake for them and had Link draw a red Loftwing on it in frosting. Everyone complimented how well he could draw which made Zelda grin and Link blush a little before they dove into the cake.

Zelda waited until everyone had gone later that afternoon to give Link his present. She'd gotten so good at sewing with his mom that she'd made him a new shirt. It was tan and had blue designs around the collar and along the sleeves.

"It's really soft," Link said. "How'd… how'd you make it so soft?'

"Before I sewed it your mom showed me how to… well, she said it was breaking in the fabric, but we basically just rolled it up a bunch and threw it around," she laughed. "It was kind of fun. But it wears it in and she said you-"

"I like my clothes soft," he finished for her. "I hate it when they're stiff and itchy."

Zelda nodded. "Me too. And you have to break shoes in the same way. Every time my dad gets me a new pair I jump around in them for a while."

"So do I," Link laughed. "Thanks, Zelda, this is great."

"It'll be too big on you now because we made it big, but you'll grow and it'll fit just fine."

Link nodded, and she was right: the shirt was too big on him, but he liked it so much, he wore it all the time anyway.


	5. That Time Zelda Was a Watcher

**That Time Zelda Was a Watcher**

* * *

Zelda coughed a little bit, stretching out her neck to try and ease the dull ache in her throat. She was sitting at Larke's sewing machine, finishing up the edge of a cloak for her father while Larke sat next to her, a warm smile on her pretty face.

"Zelda, you have gotten so good at this I think we can move onto something more complicated," she said, examining the stitching on the edge of the cloak.

Zelda perked up a little. "Like what?"

"Well, it'll be Spirit Night at the end of the month, why don't we make costumes for you and Link?" Larke suggested, grinning when Zelda nodded enthusiastically.

Spirit Night marked the night when Skyloft was closest to the Spirit Realm, at least that's what Zelda's father had told her. Children in the village dressed in costumes or wore white to represent Hylia's Guardians, and there was a small parade around the island to gather lost souls and help guide them towards the land of the Old Gods. Everyone carried lanterns for the spirits, and brought flowers to leave in the cemetery or throw over the edge of the island. After the walk, the children would play tag and other games until midnight or sometimes even later.

Zelda thought it was an interesting tradition, but she found all the traditions and holidays on Skyloft interesting. Some of them corresponded with seasonal changes: The Feast of Fire on the longest day of the year, and a dinner held at the Academy on the shortest day of the year called the Feast of Hylia (though Zelda had always thought it should be called the Feast of Frost since the island was covered in a thin layer of snow by then). The Color Day festival marked the cross between Spring and Summer, and the Harvest Feast marked the beginning of Fall. But the random holidays, like Ribbon Day in mid-Winter and Spirit Night, were just there and didn't mark anything, and that's why Zelda thought they were so unique.

"They're old traditions, Zelda," her father told her. "Our culture has held them for thousands of years, since we first settled here."

"So, they came from the surface, then," she suggested.

"Perhaps, or perhaps they came from divine inspiration," her father laughed.

Zelda remembered frowning when he said that, just like she frowned when anyone said anything like that. There were many people on the island who credited Hylia for all the good things they had. Zelda credited Hylia with taking her mother away right after she was born.

After she finished the cloak, Zelda and Link ran to the Academy and grabbed a bunch of old books from her father's study to look over for costume ideas. They brought them back to Link's house so they could show his mother and see if there was anything that she thought they could sew easily, but Zelda kind of wished they'd stayed at the Academy. She was a little tired today, and when they were looking through books she laid on the couch and let Link turned the pages. He would have read them on his own, except they were written in Old Hylian and he didn't know it yet. Zelda's father had started teaching her the language when she was six years old and now that she was nine, she was fluent in it.

"Look at this one," she murmured to Link, pointing over his shoulder to the faded text in the book he was flipping through. "They mention Spirit Night, _and_ Ribbon Day along with all the other holidays we celebrate. I told my father these aren't traditions we just _made up_ when we found Skyloft; they came from somewhere."

"From somewhere other than Hylia," Link confirmed.

"Yes, from _us_ , not from Hylia," she replied. Link just nodded, giving the arm she had resting on his shoulder a funny look.

"You're really warm," he said.

Zelda shrugged and pulled her arm back under her head. "I'm a little cold actually," she admitted. Link turned over his shoulder and grabbed a blanket, handing it to her before he flipped the page. "Ooh, look at this one," he said, pointing to a pair of pictures in the section about the Spirit Night.

"Those are what the author thought the Guardians of the Spirit Realm would look like," she explained through a cough.

"Those are creepy," he said, scrunching up his nose a little. One picture was labeled "Watcher," and it was a small figure wearing a white cloak and carrying a lantern. It had no face; just a single red eye under the hood. The other picture was a "Guardian" and showed a tall, skeletal figure with gold earrings and a large mace. It had the same gold trim around its clothing as the Watcher, but instead of one eye it had two, and a gaping red space for a mouth.

"They _are_ creepy," Zelda agreed, then she sat up onto her elbow, an idea popping into her head. "Do you… do you think your mom could help us make _these_ for costumes?"

"I'm sure she could," Link said, brightening a little. "The sword might be tricky, but the outfits she could do."

Zelda nodded, then swallowed and coughed again, shivering. Link gave her a curious look. "You've been coughing a lot," he noted.

"Owlan said I was out in the wind too long yesterday," she said. "But I'm really cold, is there a window open?"

"No?" Link said, looking around. Zelda coughed again, then Link's Mom came over and put her hands against Zelda's forehead first, then against Zelda's cheeks before running them down her throat. She was frowning while she did it.

"Zelda, sweetie, do you feel alright?"

Zelda just shrugged. "My throat hurts a lot when I swallow, but when I told Owlan about it he said I was probably just out in the wind too long."

Larke scrunched up her nose a little, still holding her hands against Zelda's cheeks. "Orel, she's burning up," she said over her shoulder, a strange tone to her voice.

"I'm _cold_ , actually," Zelda insisted, shivering on cue and wrapping the blanket tighter around herself.

Orel knelt next to her now and put _his_ hands on Zelda's cheeks. She stared back at Larke and Orel, feeling unsure about the look they were giving her, then the one they exchanged with each other. They didn't look angry or anything, but Link's father was always happy and playful, and his mother was always smiling and gentle. Now they both looked… scared.

"Do you feel sick now, Zelda?" Orel asked. "You have been coughing a lot."

"My throat hurts," she shrugged.

"Do you feel dizzy at all?"

"No, just cold," Zelda said. Orel and Larke looked at each other again, then Larke squeezed Zelda's shoulder gently and stood up.

"I'm taking her to Owlan."

Orel stood up, shaking his head and grabbing a cloak. "No, I'll take her. You stay here with- "

"Orel, I know - "

"I'm sure it's nothing, but just to be sure- "

"It might just be a fever," Larke shrugged.

Orel made a face. "But a fever, with a cough, and with how bad she's shaking?"

Zelda looked confused as they talked back and forth over her. She looked to Link for an idea of what was going on and was surprised to see that his face had gone almost white.

"Is that what Uncle Ugo had?" he asked, sounding a little frantic. "When I was little? And you and he were sick? Is this- "

"No, _sweetheart_ ," Larke said, kneeling back down and squeezing Link's shoulders. Zelda's heart started to beat a little faster. She knew Link had an uncle, but he'd died when Link was little and he said he barely remembered him. No one ever spoke about him. "It's not- "

"I'm going to take her, Larke," Orel said, pulling on his cloak. "You stay here… for now. I'll let you know what I find out."

Link's mom nodded, and when Link stepped forward to follow his dad and Zelda out the door, she wrapped an arm around his chest and held him back. "Please, Orel, as soon as you can."

Orel nodded, a strange look on his face. He turned to Zelda then and smiled gently before getting down on one knee. "Up you get, Little Zelda," he said, taking her arms and pulling her onto his back. Zelda wrapped her arms around Orel's neck and gave Link a rueful look over her shoulder. He was still white, and his mother's arm looked like it was straining to hold him back. Larke gave Zelda a little smile as Orel shut the door behind them and walked quickly down the hill away from their house.

When they got outside Zelda started shivering even more. The fall air was really cold, she thought, and she laid her head against Orel's back to try and warm her ears up. She realized from the way she bounced on his back that he was almost running, and was surprised he could carry her so easily. She supposed he was so strong because he was a knight after all.

"Are you tired, Zelda?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at her.

"I am a little," she mumbled, yawning on cue

"I'll get you home so you can rest, okay?" he assured her. "You're going to be just fine."

Zelda nodded, then lifted her head a little. "Orel?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are there so many people outside the school?"

Orel slowed up, and Zelda felt his arms tighten around her legs. From her position hitched up on Orel's back, she could see a line of people on the bridge going towards the Academy. Pipit was standing next to his mom, looking pale and unsteady, and Cawlin was behind him but his face was flushed red. Karane was waiting too, but she was asleep on her father's shoulder and her mother was standing next to them looking very worried.

"We're going in the back," Orel announced, walking around the Bazaar towards the steps that led into the lower entrance.

When they got inside, Zelda and Orel were both surprised by the number of people running around the hallways. Owlan's mother, Wren, was there, and so were a few others on the village congress. They were all pressing their hands against the faces of those waiting in the hallway or sitting by empty dormitory rooms. Horwell, Henya, and Rusta were guiding people into different areas according to Wren's instructions. Owlan was trying to settle the crowd, her father at his side.

"We're setting up quarantine," he was saying. "If you can just wait, once we verify symptoms we can get everyone set up with a bed and start administering medicine. I know you're all scared, but let's just _stay_ _calm_ …"

" _Orel_ ," Zelda's father said then, sounding very relieved to see Link's dad. He ran over to them and started talking very fast.

"I'm glad you're here. We need to find out who was affected in the last round and who wasn't. Olwan is fairly certain if you've had it before there's immunity and we'll need help. You came in with Ugo last time, and if he's right that means you're immune so could you get started? Do you think Larke would mind keeping Zelda? I want her to stay away from- "

"Gae, it's… it's too late for that," he grimaced, hefting Zelda off his back and onto the floor. Her father looked at her then, his face whiter than Link's had been. "She's burning up," Orel explained, his hand gentle against Zelda's shoulders.

Her father knelt in front of her and placed his large hands against her cheeks. He frowned and took a deep breath. "Zelda," he whispered. "I need you to tell me _when_ you started feeling bad."

"I didn't… this morning, I guess?" she explained. "My throat hurt, but I told Owlan. He said I was just out in the wind too long. When I was reading with Link just now I got really cold," she stammered, twisting her fingers a little bit. "I'm kind of dizzy, can I sit down?"

Zelda's father scooped her into his arms, placing his hand over her head when she laid down on his shoulder. Zelda suddenly felt very small, like she was a little kid all over again. Her father turned to look at Orel. "Can you help? _Please_?'

"Of course," Orel replied, voice strong and reassuring. She'd heard Orel speak like this when Link was scared about something or when things needed to get done quickly. Link called it his _Knight voice_. "I know Corvus was sick with it last time, and so was Heron. I'll find them and we'll call everyone up."

"Good," Her father said, sounding relieved and panicked at the same time. "Good…"

Zelda turned her head so she could look at Orel, and his expression shifted then, eyes softening a little. "Get her water, and get her into bed," he said to her father. "She'll… she needs rest and fluids and if her fever gets to high _just_ …"

He made a strange face then, hands curling into a fist before they relaxed back by his sides. "Get her to Owlan or Wren as soon as you can, okay? I know there are people waiting, but- "

"I will, Orel," her father replied, squeezing Zelda a little tighter. "Thank you."

Orel gave him a brief nod, then ran out the front doors. Zelda watched him go, realizing with a start that she still had Link's blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

"Come, my dear," Zelda's father said to her. "Let's get you into bed."

"Dad?" she asked as he walked her to her room.

"Yes, Zelda?"

"What's happening?"

Her father swallowed. "You're running a fever because your body is trying to fight an illness. That's… that's all I can really tell you, Zelda. I'm sorry."

"Is this the same thing that came around… when I was little?" she asked as he set her down on her bed. She sat there for a moment, then laid down against the pillow and let her father pull all the covers over her. He walked out into the hall, and when he came back he had a washcloth that he folded and put against her forehead.

"It's a virus of some sort. We never named it," he explained, frowning a little at Zelda. "But… you're going to be fine. I need to go help with the quarantine, but… I'll be back in just a few minutes after I talk to Owlan, all right? I want you to stay here and just rest."

Zelda nodded her head yes as much as she could while lying down. Her father gave her a kiss on the forehead, stroked her hair, then left the room, leaving the door open as he went. Zelda laid awake for a few minutes, thinking about the pain in her throat and how she just couldn't get warm, even with all her covers and Link's blanket wrapped around her.

People were walking back and forth in the hall, and since Zelda was one of the first rooms there she couldn't help seeing everything. Sometimes they just walked, and other times someone would run by. Once a group of three people ran towards the front doors and there was a bunch of shouting afterward, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Her head had started to hurt very badly by then, and she randomly thought back to Link's face and how white it had been when his parents were talking about taking her to see Owlan. She also thought about Link's Uncle who he'd only ever mentioned when they happened to talk about someone dying. Usually they were talking about her mother, or talking about what little she knew of her mother.

Link's uncle had been named Ugo. Link had said it, and so did her dad. She wondered if her dad knew him, and apparently the last time this went around Orel had been sick too, but no one ever mentioned that either, and they never talked about Ugo, just like her father never spoke about her mother.

 _Is that what happens when people die?_ she wondered. _You stop talking about them?_

Zelda had the morbid thought that if she was _really_ sick and _she_ died, at least she'd get to see her mother, but she knew she should probably never say this out loud. The noise in the hall died down finally, and Zelda rolled over, muscles aching, and fell into a restless sleep.

The next time she woke up, Zelda was wearing different clothes and lying on a thin cot in the Sparring Hall. Pipit was next to her, his forehead shiny with sweat and covers vibrating as he shivered. She tried to sit up to see what was happening around her, but the sudden movement caused her head to spin wildly and she fell back against the pillow with a pained moan.

" _Owlan_!" her father's voice shouted. "She's awake."

Zelda opened her eyes just a little to see him rush over and kneel down beside her, his face pale though there were dark purple circles under his eyes. He coughed a bit, sniffling and wiping his forehead.

"Hey, Little Zelda," he breathed, stroking her hair. "How… how do you feel?"

Zelda swallowed involuntarily and almost cried out because it hurt so bad. Her head was pounding, and it felt like someone had… _trampled_ over her. Every muscle in her body ached and when she tried to open her mouth her lips _cracked_ they were so dry.

"I'm… _thirsty_ ," she managed.

Her father handed her a small glass of water and Zelda tried to drink, but it felt like razor blades when she swallowed so she passed it back to him very quickly. Her father took the glass, holding her head as she laid back down against the pillow. Owlan was there a second later, pressing his cool fingers against her forehead. Zelda could see bags under his eyes too and wondered if anyone had gotten any sleep.

"Is she drinking?" he asked her father.

"She just took a drink, but… she didn't really swallow," he admitted.

Owlan frowned. "Zelda, I want you to try and drink, all right? I know it hurts, but it's really important that you drink. Can you sit up for me?"

Zelda pushed herself up, head spinning as she did. "I'm not fine?" she asked Owlan, remembering what he'd told her the morning this all began.

He didn't laugh, he just breathed out very quickly and smiled. "No, but you will be. Zelda, I need you to take this," he said, giving her a vial of pink elixir that smelled a lot like honey. She swallowed it down, pushing her hand over her chest when she coughed again. It felt like someone had punched her right in the chest.

"She's still too warm," Owlan said to her father, a conflicted look on his face. "But… hopefully that will bring it down, and if she drinks…" he murmured, chewing his lip while he looked Zelda over. "Gae, keep an eye on her and keep a washcloth on her head. Has Pipit been awake at all?"

"Not that I've seen," Zelda's father said, frowning and looking over at Pipit.

Owlan sighed heavily, putting his hands on against Pipit's cheeks. He seemed to debate something, then made a face when he decided. "It's been too long. He's going on day two with his fever that high; we have to get it down."

Zelda's father nodded, getting to his feet and giving her a pat on the head. Zelda watched from her pillow as Owlan and her father lifted Pipit up off his cot and took him into the back of the Sparring Hall where there was metal tub. They didn't even bother to take his clothes off before they put him inside it and started pouring a blue potion into the water. Orel walked over to talk to her father, and for a second he looked back to where Zelda was and she saw his shoulders relax a little. She laid back on her pillows and watched them work on Pipit for a few minutes.

They kept pouring the potion in and Zelda wondered if there was even water in the tub or if it was just that potion. Orel knelt down and shook Pipit a little bit, and Owlan hovered over him with his fingers on Pipit's throat. Zelda's heart started beating very fast again, but then she saw Pipit's eyes open and he jumped and sat up very suddenly. Everyone relaxed then while Orel continued to hold Pipit by the shoulders, talking to him in a low voice Zelda couldn't hear from across the hall.

She rolled over, curling up into the blankets and trying not to think about everything happening. She still had Link's blanket around her, so she just cuddled it tighter and wondered what he was up to or if he was feeling sick at all. There were a lot of people sick; Zelda guessed there to be at least thirty beds around her. Cawlin was in one opposite of her, and a few cots down she could hear Manu's low voice talking. Fledge's mother was in a bed across the hall from her, so were Wyrna, Eagus, and Bertie.

"Old Finch was here too," Cawlin told her later when she woke up from a short nap. His voice was very rough and scratchy sounding. "But… he fell asleep and they couldn't wake him up. They took him out under a sheet yesterday. We all thought for a minute you were going to be gone too."

"What?" Zelda asked, shocked by this.

"You don't remember that happening?"

"No," she admitted.

"Your dad couldn't wake you up and your fever was too high, so they put you in the tub. Then you woke up _in_ the bath, and Owlan got you to drink that pink stuff, but you started… _shaking_ ," he explained, giving her a strange look.

" _Shaking_?"

"Yeah, and your dad shouted at you like that was going to stop it. Everyone came running over and they got you to stop shaking, but they couldn't wake you up. It got real quiet for a bit, then Link's dad came running over and pushed everyone out of the way so he could… he was pushing on you or something. Owlan took over after a minute and eventually you woke up enough that they calmed down. He kept telling your dad 'She has a pulse, it's going to be okay." Then you slept the _whole day_."

Zelda frowned, looking at Cawlin and his red cheeks. He looked exhausted but was very animated for being as sick as they were. "Have you- "

"Not me, no way," Cawlin muttered. "No… I'm _not_ going to sleep. I won't let myself. Not after Old Finch," he added. "Nah, I'm not going to sleep and dying. Not today."

Zelda chewed her lip and looked around at the room. Wyrna and Eagus were both awake now. Zelda knew this because they kept moving and changing positions, or sitting up to drink from glasses of water at their bedside. She remembered what Owlan said and took a drink from the glass of water her father had given her earlier, fighting through the pain in her throat. After she'd drank half the glass she laid back down and just stared at the door.

It opened often, and there were lots of people outside waiting for news. Both Pipit's and Cawlin's mothers were outside, and for some reason Jakamar was outside, but Zelda guessed that was because half his class was sick and he was worried about them. She didn't see Link or his mother out there, but perhaps Link's dad had been giving them updates. He stopped to check on her every so often and when she tried to give him their blanket back, he smiled and said she could keep it.

They kept moving people around, with the less sick towards the front of the hall and the worst cases at the back where the tub was set up. Owlan had also set up a table with tubes and very thin needles, and a couple of pots of boiling soup or potion, she couldn't exactly tell. It made Zelda feel a little better that she was towards the front. That must mean she was getting better. They moved Pipit back into his cot next to Zelda a few hours after they'd given him that strange bath. He still looked pale, but at least he was awake and talkative now.

"We're supposed to keep drinking," he reminded Zelda after she woke up from another long nap. She still wanted to sleep even though she was feeling better, but everyone kept telling her to rest so she didn't fight it too much. "They brought bottles of fresh water for us," Pipit added, pushing one into Zelda's hands.

She took a long drink, noting that the pain in her throat was lessening a little. "What day is it?" Zelda asked, looking outside at the dark sky.

Pipit just shrugged. "I stopped counting a while ago. Now I just count people who come in and out."

"Are people _still_ coming in?"

"A few," Pipit mumbled, chewing his lip. "Groose and Peatrice are both in the back now. So is Orielle. She's _really_ bad," he said, sounding a little worried. "They put her in the tub like they did us, but even that didn't wake her up. Owlan threw her onto the table a few seconds later and started pushing on her chest. When he stopped that, he put a tube in her arm and… I don't know," he explained, sounding a little disturbed by the whole thing. "There was a bag hanging above her and her mom kept trying to talk to her. She was crying… Orielle finally woke up but… it took a long time."

Zelda frowned, circling her glass of water with her finger. "Has anyone- "

The door to the hall opened then, cutting her off mid-sentence. Zelda turned over her shoulder to see who was coming in, then all the blood drained out of her face and she almost dropped her glass. Larke walked in, looking _extremely_ pale under her dark blonde hair. Zelda didn't know if Larke was so wobbly because _she_ was sick, or because she was carrying Link in her arms. He looked really small for some reason, and Zelda noticed his lips were blueish instead of their normal pink.

" _Larke_?" Orel yelped from the front of the room. Everyone turned around, watching Orel run down the center of the hall and practically yank Link out of Larke's arms.

"It hit him last night," she said, blinking very rapidly and swaying on her feet. "It wasn't very high then… and he was sleeping… so I didn't… I…" she stammered. Orel tried to steady her, but Larke's eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed onto the floor at his feet, her body shaking in a strange rhythm.

There was a lot of commotion then. Zelda and Pipit both jumped out of bed and started to rush over, Henya happened to be right in front of their cots. She turned around sharply, her long, bony finger extended in their direction.

" _Sit down_!" she shouted.

Pipit obeyed immediately, but Zelda stood defiant (though, still a little unsteady) on her feet and just glared back. Orel passed an unconscious Link into Owlan's arms, then scooped Larke up off the floor and ran her to the back of the room. Horwell and Owlan put Link into the tub and started putting the blue potion into the water. Owlan was pressing his fingers against Link's throat, then on the inside of his wrist. He must have felt something because he said something to Horwell who nodded and continued to pour the potion into the water. Owlan then rushed over to the table where Orel had practically thrown Larke. He did the same thing to her, pressing his fingers against her throat while Orel kept saying her name over and over again.

"What's happening?" Zelda asked, ignoring Henya's glare and pointing to the back of the room. "Link's face was _blue_. What- "

"Zelda, you need to stay here," her father said firmly, passing by Henya and urging Zelda back towards her bed.

"But- "

"There's nothing you can do," he said, looking a little stricken. "You'll just be in the way and- "

"I won't get in the way. Let me go back there," she demanded. "I can- "

"Owlan will take care of them- "

"Owlan is taking care of _everyone else_! He can't- "

"Zelda, _sit down_!" her father snapped, using a tone he rarely took with her. "I _won't_ tell you again."

Zelda made an angry noise, eyes stinging as she stormed back to her cot and threw herself down on it. Her father gave her a sympathetic look before turning back to the front. Owlan was stringing up a strange hanging bag before he cut Larke's arm open and put a tube inside it. Orel was still shaking her, but then Horwell grabbed him and pulled him over to where Link was so Owlan would have more room around Larke. Orel's face was white now, he looked from Link to his wife and fisted both his hands into his hair. Zelda felt her heart pounding hard in her chest. All she could do was _watch_...

"Zelda, if you want to do something for them, you can pray," her father murmured, then he gave her a squeeze on her arm and walked towards the back of the room.

Zelda scoffed, ignoring the look Pipit was giving her and throwing herself under the covers. She pulled Link's blanket over her head and pressed face into her pillow, trying to stifle tears. Zelda didn't know why she was crying so hard. Only Old Finch had died, and Olwan said it was because he was very old and not strong enough to fight off the virus. Link was young, and he was stronger than anyone she knew. His mother was strong too. They were going to be fine, _both_ of them… they had to be. She couldn't imagine what it would be like if Link died, or if his _mother_ died. Everyone would stop talking about them. No, it couldn't happen. They would be fine. She would curse Hylia _personally_ if they weren't.

 _Please let them be fine_ , she thought, hands clasped together in front of her chest. It wasn't a prayer, it was more of a demand. _If you take anyone else from me, I'll_ _ **never**_ _forgive you._ _ **Ever**_ _. Please, please, please let them be okay…_

A long while later, after she'd fallen asleep mid-curse, Zelda pulled the covers off her head. The first thing she noticed was the hall was emptier. Pipit was gone. So was Cawlin. There weren't that many cots in there at all now… less than fifteen. The second thing Zelda saw was Orel sitting on the floor beside her bed. He wasn't asleep, he was just laying back against the cot, staring at the ceiling. Zelda sat up and leaned forward until he noticed she was awake and turned to look at her.

"Link is going to be fine," he murmured, answering her unspoken question.

She nodded, chewing her lip and fiddling with the covers. "Is he awake?"

"No," Orel admitted, frowning.

"What about Larke? Is she awake?"

Orel sighed heavily. "No," he grimaced.

Zelda swallowed. "Can… can I see Link?"

Orel turned his head to look at her, a sad smile on his face. "No, Zelda."

"I can wake him up," she offered. "I _always_ wake him up when he goes back to sleep in the mornings. Even when Larke can't get him up, I _can_. You know I can," she pleaded. "Please, could I just- "

"Has your dad ever told you that Larke was best friends with your mom?"

Zelda froze. This was new information. She sat up and threw her legs over the edge of her cot, staring hard into Orel's clear blue eyes. "No. No one's _ever_ told me that."

Orel smiled and pushed himself up a little, turning so he could look at Zelda. "They were a year younger than I was, and when we were all in school they were together _all_ the time," he said, grinning now. "When your mom was sixteen, she and Larke stole a bottle of wine from one of the merchant's tables during the Feast of Fire and drank the _whole_ thing in the room across from the one you sleep in."

Orel laughed at this memory, and Zelda continued to stare at him, enraptured by the story. He noticed this and went on.

"When Larke and I first started dating, your mom told me if I ever made her cry she would throw me off the island. I used to get a little jealous because your mom knew more about Larke than I did for a long time. Your mother held Larke's flowers when we got married and jumped off the platform. Then, when your dad and mom got married Larke held her flowers."

Zelda smiled a little bit, warmth pooling in the center of her chest. "Tell me more."

"You probably knew this because you and Link are so close in age, but Aya and Larke were pregnant at the exact same time. You'd have thought we planned it that way by how they talked," Orel laughed. "Larke thought for a long time that Link was a girl, and when he was born she was so shocked-

"Larke was upset that Link- "

" _No, no_ ," he laughed. "It lasted for just a second, then Larke was completely in love with that little boy."

"Aya was shocked too," Zelda's father said, surprising her and Orel. He had a strange little smile on his face when he sat down across from Zelda, looking at Orel when he spoke again.

"I think she had convinced herself that she and Larke were going to have two girls who were going to be best friends just like they were, but Link kind of ruined those plans," he laughed. When he noticed the indignant look on Zelda's face, her father smiled gently and went on.

"But when Aya came home after visiting Larke, she said 'Well, I guess this little girl will have a boy for a best friend,'" he explained. "Little did we know..." he added, giving Orel a strange little smile.

Orel laughed and ruffled his hair. Zelda jumped up and crossed to the other cot, taking Link's blanket with her as she sat down beside her father. "Tell me more. Why did you like her?" she asked.

Her father smiled. "She was funny, and spirited…and _so_ engaging. She never failed to keep me on my toes. She was so smart, and _so_ kind, Zelda. All she ever wanted to do was make this island better. She used to teach at the Academy before we were pregnant with you," he noted. "I loved the color of her hair; it looked just like the sun. I loved _her_ so very much. Your mother," he said, laughing looking up at the ceiling then, a sad smile on his face.

"When she was pregnant, I found the name Gwennol in an old book and wanted to name you that. We could call you Gwen, I thought. But she said no, _absolutely_ not. So I suggested Fenix if you were a boy, but she said you were a girl. Wouldn't even discuss a boy name with me," he laughed. "Aya kept telling everyone 'My _daughter_ will be a warrior, and her name will be Zelda. My _Little_ Zelda.'"

Zelda swallowed then. _Everyone_ called her Little Zelda: Link's parents, Karane's parents, Horwell, Owlan, and Henya. The students at the Academy… Everyone on the island knew her as Little Zelda. Sometimes it annoyed her, but hearing that her _mother_ had called her that…

"If Link had been a little older," Orel said, interrupting her thoughts. "Larke would have been there when you were born, Zelda."

She nodded, twisting her fingers a little. "What… what _happened_?" Zelda asked quietly. "When I was born… what happened?"

Orel frowned and looked to Zelda's father, who swallowed and shook his head before squeezing his hands together tightly. "You were two days old. Your mother… she had a _very_ hard time bringing you into this world. It took _days_ and… there was…she…" her father stammered as though the words just wouldn't come.

"Orel?" Owlan said, interrupting their quiet conversation. Zelda wondered how long he'd been listening. "Link and Larke… they're both awake."

Orel jumped to his feet, looking extremely relieved. He grabbed two vials of pink elixir out of Owlan's hand and ran towards the back of the room. Owlan didn't follow. Instead, he sat down on the bed across from Zelda and folded his hands together, taking a deep breath before he started talking.

"There was a complication," he explained, giving Zelda's father an apologetic look. "We suspected something during Aya's pregnancy because she was smaller than expected, but it didn't concern Henya and Natala that much. Aya was small to begin with so it wasn't as though she would get very big. Henya and Natala handle all the births, Parrow and Orielle's mother helps out as well. Neither my mother nor I ever help unless something happens. Pregnancy isn't an… illness," he explained when Zelda gave him a funny look. "They don't need a _Healer_ unless something goes wrong, so no one came and got us until Aya started bleeding."

Zelda's father was squeezing his hands together very tightly, she noticed. Owlan looked straight at Zelda, as though he was trying to avoid looking at her dad. His eyebrows narrowed for a bit, making him look a little pained, then he sighed heavily before going on.

"We were able to stop it, at first. I thought if she rested she would be fine. But two days later, she started running a fever and then… she just started losing more blood. We had no idea why, and there was… nothing I could do. And _you_ ," he said, gesturing to Zelda. "You were _so_ little, Zelda. You were barely six pounds and we were worried because you were in distress when you came out and we were having trouble getting you to breathe let alone nurse. We finally got you latched properly, thinking it would help _stop_ the bleeding, but it was too late. A few hours later your mom was just… gone."

Zelda had fallen quiet. She felt cold, and a little queasy. Her father swallowed and put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. "Zelda… it happens sometimes," Her father said sadly. "Just like now. We cannot control everything. The Goddess- "

"The _Goddess_ could have _saved_ her," Zelda growled, ignoring the concerned look on her father's face. "If… if the Goddess cut our island and _threw_ it into the sky and drove a _Demon_ into a prison, she could have saved _one_ human."

Her father smiled ruefully. "Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that."

"Why not? What's the point then?" Zelda snapped, eyes stinging at the corners. "What's… why _pray_? Why sing hymns and… leave flowers and have holidays in honor of _Hylia_ if all she's going to do is take my mother away _two days_ after I'm born?"

Zelda's father sighed, his expression regretful. "It is impossible to explain it to you now," he said kindly. "It's so hard to understand, even for me and I'm much older than you. That's why I never… and I'm sorry I never speak of her, Zelda," he whispered, squeezing her again.

"I will not begrudge you your anger at the Goddess, and I admit there are times…" he added, trailing off, but then he shook his head and exhaled sharply. "Zelda I'm not going to say you will understand it someday because that is cruel. You may _never_ understand it."

"But, Zelda," Owlan said then, "If I may add something, and you can ask Larke about this because she knew your mother very well... I'm certain that _our_ prayers may have been put aside in lieu of Aya's," he said. "If Hylia listened to anyone that day, she listened the prayers of your _mother_. Because while we were all praying for her, she was praying for _you_."

Zelda's father nodded. "She wanted _you_ more than anything, and I have no doubt in my mind that if Aya had been given the choice, she would have chose for you to live no matter the cost," he murmured quietly. When Zelda frowned at this, her father sighed. "As I said, I understand why you are angry, but… Hylia _was_ listening that day, and even though you never speak to her, she listens to you."

Zelda nodded, thinking back to when her father told her to pray when Larke had brought Link in. They were okay now, she supposed. Well, they were awake at the very least. That was what Owlan had told Orel. She peered over her shoulder to the back of the hall, looking at Orel kneeling by the tub of water. "Can I go and see Link?"

Her father opened his mouth to say something, but Owlan shrugged. "He's awake," he said. "I'm sure Orel won't mind."

Zelda looked at her father then, who shook his head but smiled and gestured she could go. She jumped off her cot and walked to the back of the room, Link's blanket tight around her shoulders. When she got there, Zelda froze for a second. Link was awake, but not by much. His eyes were fluttering and Orel was talking to him in a low voice, but Link wasn't saying anything back.

"Zelda?"

She jumped and turned around, noticing Larke was laying on the cot just behind her. There was a bandage on her arm stained in red and she still looked very pale, but she sat up a little anyway and gestured to Zelda. "Come here, it's okay," she whispered.

Zelda obeyed, sitting herself down on the cot next to Larke. She put her hand against Larke's forehead like she'd done days ago, frowning when she felt how hot and dry her skin was.

"I'm fine," Larke assured her.

Zelda nodded, chewing her lip. Larke pushed a strand of hair behind Zelda's ears and gave her a weak smile. "Are you feeling better?" Larke asked.

"I am," Zelda said quietly.

"That's good."

"Is Link okay?"

Larke looked past Zelda then, over at where Orel was sitting. "He's going to be okay. He's awake now, and the medicine they put in that bath makes your body temperature go down very fast, so- "

"Maybe you should get in," she suggested.

Larke laughed a little, then coughed weakly. "Owlan did something else to me," she explained, gesturing to the bandage on her arm.

"Are… are _you_ going to be okay?"

Larke nodded. "I am."

"Do you promise?" she asked.

Larke smiled at her, holding out her pinky for Zelda to take. "Link taught me this," Zelda murmured.

Larke laughed a little bit. "His dad taught him before I could. I taught Orel what it meant, but can you guess who taught me?" she asked, smiling a little wider when Zelda nodded. "Your mom said it was a promise, and who ever broke the promise, no matter what it was, would end up with a broken finger."

Zelda swallowed. " _Really_?"

Larke nodded. "I've _never_ had a broken finger, Zelda," she said, squeezing her pinky gently. "I promise you, everything will be okay."

Larke had been good on her promise, and a few days later she and Link were both fine. She was still a little weak, so when Owlan released them to go home Orel insisted she rest and made her a bed of blankets and pillows on the couch. He had to do it on the couch because Larke refused to stay confined to their bedroom area.

"I'm not _doing_ anything," she laughed when Orel scolded her after he found her sitting up watching Zelda at the sewing machine. "I'm just helping her with her costume."

"It doesn't look like she _needs_ your help," Orel murmured. "She's doing a good job all on her own."

This made Zelda feel good, but she still wanted Larke to watch. It felt nice to have her there just in case she needed help.

"Link finished his up earlier, you should show him the mask you made," Larke said, leaning into the arm Orel had placed around her shoulders.

"You made me a mask?" Link asked from his spot by his mother's feet.

Zelda had noticed Link sticking very close to his mom since they'd been sick. Whenever she needed something, he jumped up and got it for her, and he sat by her a lot and let her play with his hair, which was something he used to let her do all the time when they were little. Zelda could understand why he liked it so much. Sometimes Larke would sit next to her and play with her hair, or brush it for her, and it was always really relaxing.

"I _did_ ," Orel said, grinning at Link. "Look what it does," he added, holding up a wooden mask painted white with gold trim. When Link put it on the eyes and mouth had a red glow.

"That's kind of scary," Zelda admitted.

"It's awesome," Link said, grinning. "Thanks, dad."

Orel had smiled and ruffled Link's hair, then he'd walked with Larke into their kitchen area to start making something to eat. Zelda stayed at the sewing machine and Link took the seat next to her, watching her finish up the cloak she was working on.

"You are getting really good at that," he said. "I can do it, but you're a lot better than I am."

"You should practice more," she told him gently.

Link nodded. "You're probably right."

Zelda looked into the kitchen at Link's parents, then turned back to Link to hold up the cloak by his shoulders. "When you were still out of it, your dad told me that your mom and my mom were best friends… just like we're friends."

Link nodded. "I knew that, kind of. My mom mentioned it once."

"Your dad said my mom held your mom's flowers when they jumped. And he said that my mother told him if he ever made your mother cry she'd throw him off the island," Zelda laughed.

Link grinned at this, then turned over his shoulder to look at his parents. His dad was making his mother drink a glass of water. She was rolling her eyes a little, but they watched her smile at him and Orel closed his arms around her shoulders and gave her a tight hug. His fingers were in her hair and her arms were wrapped tight around his waist.

" _Has_ he ever made your mother cry?" Zelda asked.

"No," Link said after he thought about it a moment. "No, I don't think so."

Zelda smiled gently. "That's good. Maybe I'd carry on her legacy if that was the case," she said, making Link laugh. "It sounds like we would have been friends no matter what though, because if my mom lived I'm sure we would have played together anyway."

Link nodded, still smiling a little. "Your mom thought you were going to be a girl," Zelda informed him, laughing when Link made a face.

"She _did_?"

"That's what your dad said," Zelda replied, still grinning. When Link continued to make a face she elbowed him in the ribs. "I'm glad you're not a girl."

"Me too," Link said, grinning when Zelda giggled. "Hey, when we were all sick? I was worried about you."

"I was worried about you too when you came in."

Link nodded. Zelda pulled the costume back and looked at the edges, while Link continued to stare at his mask. "Hey, Zelda?" he said after a few minutes.

"Yeah?"

"If anything like that ever happens again… will _you_ wake me up?" he asked. "I mean… if they have to put me in a bath or something again, I'd rather you wake me up than Horwell or Owlan."

Zelda grinned, elbowing him again. "Yeah, Link… I'll be there to wake you up."

Later that night, Zelda and Link walked together to the opposite side of the island to wait for the Spirit Day parade to start. When they ran into Pipit on the bridge, he snatched Link's mask off his face to examine it.

"That's _so_ cool," Pipit said. "Your costume is actually scary, Link."

"Zelda made it," he said, blushing a little.

"Did Link's mom let you use her machine?" Wyrna asked as they walked past her.

Zelda nodded, noticing that Wyrna still looked a little pale and that Jakamar was hovering around her the way Link's dad had been doing to his mom since she came home. It was a little odd but Zelda was too anxious for the parade to really think about it. Everyone was still a little nervous about the illness that had happened. Things spread easily on the island because everyone was always around each other, but no one was exhibiting any symptoms that were contagious so Owlan had assured them all Spirit Night could take place as usual.

"Nice costume, Night Rider," Jakamar told Link from his spot behind Wyrna. Link just nodded and pulled his mask down over his face, though Zelda noticed he was blushing a little from all the attention he was getting.

A few seconds later, Horwell came outside with a large lantern on a stick and gestured for everyone to line up. Link took his usual spot next to Zelda, with Fledge and Pipit in front of them, and Karane, Kina, and Peatrice behind them. The older kids walked toward the back, giggling and whispering under their breath as they rounded the path by the Bazaar and walked towards the pond.

"Did you know there's a _demon_ who lives on this island?" Manu said in a low voice. Piper and Wyrna both giggled.

"There is _not_ ," Karane replied. "That's just a story old men tell when they get too drunk during the Harvest Festival."

"Oh, _is it_?" asked Eagus in his deep voice, running up to walk beside Karane, his shadow overly large and ominous in the moonlight. "Where do you think the monsters on the island come from?"

"They're just _here_ ," Cawlin muttered from behind Karane. "They're just Keese and dumb Chuchus, not demons or-"

"Yes, but they _never_ go away no matter _how many times_ we kill them," Manu said, leaning down to look at Cawlin.

"Legend says the demon was trapped on the island when the Goddess raised it into the sky," Eagus went on. "He lives on, even thousands of years later. The monsters come back because _he_ summons them. Some say he comes up once every month during the new moon and searches for children who are out wandering the village after dark…"

"That's just a story," Karane insisted.

"But stories always come from somewhere, they're part of our history… and history always comes back to haunt us…"

Eagus laughed then, low and ominous. The older students were giggling but Zelda noticed Karane had gotten very quiet, and even Cawlin had quieted down. Her heart was beating a little faster than normal, so Zelda quickly looped her fingers through Link's, shrugging when he lifted his mask to give her a curious look. She didn't mean anything by it, it was just that Link never seemed to get scared of anything and it always made her feel better when she was close to him.

When they reached the cemetery, everyone set their lanterns by the tall tree and laid flowers along gravestones or at the edge of the island. Zelda noticed everyone set something on Old Finch's stone that had been put up just the other day, she and Link included even though neither of them knew him very well. Then they all spread out faced the Southern sky while Horwell recited a prayer in Old Hylian.

"I understand everything he's saying now," Zelda whispered to Link.

Link lifted his mask up so he could see her better. "What's he saying?"

" _Through the sky the winged ones call you, face the sun so the shadows fall away. Depart the plane you are no longer bound to, fly to bright skies through the eternal gateway_ ," she explained.

"That's… nice," Link admitted. "It's like a song."

Zelda nodded, then frowned a little bit. "It's happy in the beginning, but now he's saying, ' _Cold are the nights when the Watchers walk and the Guardians lie in wait. Be on your guard, mortal souls, for the Watchers' eyes can seal your fate._ '"

" _Pretty_ scary, huh?" Jakamar whispered right next to Zelda. She jumped and he laughed gently. Behind him Wyrna giggled. "You missed the bit in the middle, Little Zelda, but you got most of it."

"I didn't know you took Old Hylian," she muttered.

"It's compulsory for knights" Eagus explained while Horwell threw a scattering of flowers over the edge of the island. "Your dad knows Hylian, Link."

Link perked up at this, but Zelda turned over her shoulder to look at Eagus. "Old _Hylian_ ," she corrected. "As in the Land of _Hylia_ on the Surface."

"Are you _still_ reading those fairy tales?" Peatrice asked, rolling her eyes while Zelda frowned. "Those are _kids'_ books, Zelda."

Zelda shook her head, staring out at the darkening sky. "No… I think… I think there's more out there than we know."

"I still say all those stories about the surface and the war and all that are just children's stories," Peatrice muttered, sounding extremely bored with everything.

"We don't read _kids'_ books," Link interjected, dropping Zelda's hand. He pulled down his mask and turned around to face Peatrice, eyes and mouth glowing from behind the white mask. "We read _history_ books," he went on, dropping his voice a little and walking forward. "And history _always_ comes back to haunt us…"

A few kids laughed, Pipit among them with the older students. Fledge looked nervous while Peatrice took a few steps back and Kina squeaked quietly. Karane ripped off her hood and pushed around Zelda to get right in Link's face.

"You don't scare _me_ , Link!" she shouted, though Zelda could see her hands shaking at her sides.

" _He_ shouldn't scare you," whispered Jakamar, leaning over Karane's shoulders. "The _Guardians_ should…"

Jakamar made a strange howling noise then. Karane squeaked and Link jumped back a little, torn between a yelp and a laugh.

"You're it, _Night Rider_!" Jakamar shouted, tagging Link by punching him in the shoulder then bolting off.

Everyone else was quick to follow, screaming and laughing as they went. Zelda saw Link grin before he pulled his mask down over his face and walked to the tree at the end of the graveyard. She took off running alongside Fledge, trying to think of a good place they could hide so they'd be able to jump out and scare Link when he came for them.

"Let's go hide by the bird statue near the Bazaar," she suggested.

"Yeah," Fledge said. "At least by the bird statue we can pray if we want."

Zelda nodded, thinking that she wasn't going to pray while she was there, but also that the statues and all the holidays and traditions revolving around Hylia didn't bother her as much as they used to.

* * *

Thank you so much for the feedback and comments. I deeply appreciate them and look forward to seeing them. Hope you enjoy!


	6. That Time Link Was a Page

That Time Link Was a Page

* * *

Summer was Link's favorite time of year for a lot reasons: his birthday was in the summer, his mother relaxed their learning schedule a little so he could sleep in (when Zelda _let_ him sleep in), and it was always warm out just to name a few. Skyloft was breezy most days, but at least in summer it was breezy and hot. Link liked flying on the really hot days because it felt good to have the wind rush through his hair. He could fly on his own now, having passed the flight exam just after his tenth birthday.

Owlan designed the exam, and if you passed you could fly on your own that very same day. If not, you had to wait six weeks and fly with an adult to get more practice before taking it again. Link passed on his first try, so did Zelda. Groose was next a few months later. Kina, Cawlin, and tall, blond Stritch passed on their second tries, then Fledge finally passed in late spring, but only after Link insisted on flying with him a few days a week.

"You have to trust him, and you have to trust yourself," Link was saying, quoting what his own Loftwing told him during their first flight. "If you tell him where to go, he'll go there. And there are still the Rescue Knights if something happens," he added, watching Fledge nod. Even though he'd passed, Fledge had yet to fly alone. Link always went with him.

The sun was very hot today and they were all sitting by the edge of the pond, Fledge and Zelda dangling their bare feet in the water while Link sat between them, legs crossed and sleeves rolled up. Zelda was leaning over his shoulder, gently probing his earlobe with her index finger.

"Did it hurt?" she asked. Link's stomach did a funny little somersault and he tried not to flinch when she tugged on the ring. He'd turned eleven a week ago and his father had pierced his ears as part of family tradition. Link had made the blue earrings himself from little stones he'd found around the island.

"Yeah, but not bad," he said, grimacing when she turned the rings back and forth. "I didn't cry or anything."

"I think I'd cry," Zelda admitted. "Did he do it with a knife?"

"A small one."

"There's still a little blood," Fledge added, now leaning in to look at Link's other ear.

"It's because I have to mess with them to keep the holes open," Link explained. "I can't take them out at all for three months. I wouldn't take them out anyway, but I have to spin them around and stuff. It actually hurts more now than when he did it."

"Why did he do it?" Fledge asked.

"Yeah, your dad is the only one with pierced ears on the whole island," Zelda added.

"That's not true. Orielle pierced her ears," Link said.

"But your dad is the only man," she replied, gently touching his ear again.

Link shrugged. "He says it's a family thing. All the men in my family have had their ears pierced."

"Huh," said Fledge, looking a little longer at the blood on Link's ears before turning back to the water.

"You know who else had his ears pierced?" Zelda asked conspiratorially as she gave Link's earrings one last turn. "Hylia's Chosen Hero."

Link scrunched his nose a little while Fledge just looked curious. "How do you know that?"

"I read it in a book that my father has."

"Some of those books are missing pages," Link said fairly. "No one even knows if he actually existed; it could just be part of the story to make us feel good."

"He did exist!" Zelda insisted a little desperately. "He did! And I still think those stories have something to them. There has to be something below the clouds. There can't just be… _nothing_. And why else would half our ceremonies mention a Chosen Hero?"

"Maybe it's just part of the legend," Link suggested.

"I thought you believed me," she muttered, sounding a little hurt.

"I _do_ believe you," he assured her. "I just… I don't know about the whole 'chosen hero' thing. Why would a Goddess need one of us?"

Zelda pushed her lips out a little, considering him. "Because-"

" _WOOO HOOOOO_!"

The scream was accompanied by a flurry of motion as Pipit leaped from the platform at the top of Jakamar's house. Link, Zelda, and Fledge all leaned back to avoid the splash.

"Why aren't you guys swimming? You're the only ones not in here," Pipit asked when he emerged, swimming over to the shore where Link, Zelda, and Fledge were sitting. Everyone was swimming today, Link noticed. Even Kina had flown over from Pumpkin Landing to hang out and swim with Karane and Orielle.

"Peatrice isn't swimming," Zelda pointed out.

"Yeah, but she has been," Pipit noted. "She just got out to sit in the sun. Why don't you get in?"

Link shrugged, but then Groose laughed from the top of the platform. "She can't because _Little_ Zelda won't do anything without _Little_ Link," he taunted before jumping in. His splash was much bigger than Pipit's, and Zelda yelped when water splashed onto her dress.

"We just don't _feel_ like getting in," she muttered, though Link knew this was a lie. She had her swimsuit on underneath her clothes; he could see the strap on her shoulder.

"Liar," Groose laughed, smirking at Zelda. "You're not getting in because Link is too lazy to learn how to swim. Fledge is just a weakling and that's why he's not in," he added with a shrug.

Link frowned deeper. He wasn't lazy, it just never mattered. Swimming hadn't been a thing he and Zelda did before this year. It only came up now because Horwell had taken her out and taught her after she'd begged him to. Link's parents never brought it up, and he'd just… never thought about it until Zelda tried to tug him into the water. He supposed he could just jump in and see what happened, but Link could only touch by the edge and he didn't want to embarrass himself by flailing all over the place or worse.

He watched Groose swim away, then Link leaned back on his arms and looked over to Fledge. "Why aren't you swimming?" he asked him.

Fledge just shrugged and remained quiet. Link exhaled slowly, thinking it was a little too warm to just sit in the sun and do nothing. He jumped to his feet. "I'm going to go see if Rusta is around and will let me use the sparring swords."

"I'll come with you," Zelda said, shaking the water off her legs and pulling on her shoes.

Link paused. "You don't… have to," he replied, feeling a little sheepish.

"I want to though," she assured him, though her eyes were flicking to the water. "Fledge?" she asked.

Fledge made a face, eyebrows narrowed as though he was thinking really hard about something. "I think… I think I'm going to swim," he said, standing then and pulling his shirt off.

"Sure you'll survive it?" Cawlin teased, laughing when Groose chuckled a little.

"Shut up, Cawlin," Link heard Pipit snap. "At least Fledge can see over his desk. You need a highchair to reach yours."

Groose started laughing hard and Link felt better leaving Fledge knowing Pipit was there. He'd stick up for him if Fledge couldn't do it himself.

"I know it was what my mother called me, but I'm getting a little sick of everyone calling me Little Zelda," Zelda muttered as they walked towards the Academy. "I'm almost eleven; I'm not little."

"Have you told them to stop?" Link asked.

"I told my father to stop, and Owlan. Horwell refuses. He said something about how no matter what I'd always be Little Zelda to him," she said, frowning.

"It's probably the same reason my mom still wants to comb my hair," Link said.

"You should let her comb your hair," Zelda teased. "It looks ridiculous."

"It's not ridiculous!" Link argued, running his fingers through it. He liked his hair; it was long around his ears now and thick like his father's. "It sticks up sometimes because I'm still growing it out, but it's not-"

" _Shhh_!" Zelda hissed then, pressing her finger to her lips. "Do you hear something? I hear people talking."

Link listened. He could hear muttering, a girl's and a boy's voices. "It sounds like it's coming from over there," he said, pointing to the balcony that ran along the upper level of the Academy.

Zelda jerked her head in that direction and they both walked over to the ledge, dropping down behind the barrier and holding their breath so they could hear what was going on.

"You have syrup on your mouth," a low, male voice murmured. There was a giggle, then silence. "We really should get it off." More silence. "You're so messy."

" _I'm_ messy?" a girl's voice replied indignantly.

"I don't have syrup on my lips."

"That's because I got it off," the girl cooed. "I'm better at this than you are."

"Oh, are you, now?" the boy's voice purred back.

The girl laughed warmly. "Maybe you're not trying hard enough," she whispered. There was more silence, then she sighed. "Try harder."

Zelda looked at Link, who just shrugged in confusion. They peered cautiously over the wall, then Zelda squeaked and yanked him back down.

" _That's Jakamar and Wyrna_!" Zelda whisper-screeched.

" _I know_!" Link hissed back.

" _They're kissing_!"

" _I know_!"

Zelda clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle, then they both peeked over the edge of the wall again. Jakamar was standing very close to Wyrna, who's back was against the wall of the Academy. She had her arms looped around his neck and he had his hands much too low on her hips…

"I didn't even know they were going out," Zelda whispered scandalously. "Let alone _making_ out. _They're kissing at school_!"

Link snickered, then rose up to try and get better view. Jakamar had his mouth against Wyrna's. Their heads were tilted at a funny angle and both their eyes were closed. Link thought he should be used to this since his father kissed his mother all the time, but he never saw him kiss her like that.

"It looks wet," Link said after a moment.

" _Ew_!" Zelda gasped. "I didn't think about that. You don't think they're using their tongues, do you?"

"Do people use their tongues when they kiss?" asked Link, sounding horrified.

"Peatrice says they do."

"I've never seen my parents kiss with their… tongues."

"Do your parents kiss a lot?" Zelda asked. "I've never seen them."

"How could you miss it? They kiss _all the time_ : in the morning, after supper, at night on the couch when they think I'm asleep," he groaned. "But, I've never seen them kissing like that," he added, jerking his head to where Jakamar and Wyrna were.

"But your parents are in love so it's okay if they kiss all the time," Zelda shrugged. She gasped then, pressing her hands over her mouth and dropping her voice even lower. "Do you think Jakamar is in _love_ with Wyrna?"

"I don't know. If he's kissing her… maybe?"

"Maybe," Zelda repeated, sounding curious. She considered this for a moment. "But, I bet people kiss if they aren't in love."

"You think?"

"I mean… I saw Eagus and Luv kissing once, and I know they aren't in love. Bertie loves her, so she can't love Eagus."

"Well, she could," Link pointed out. "Maybe she doesn't love Bertie back."

"Oh, that would be awful. To love someone and not have them love you back?" Zelda frowned.

"Maybe Eagus loves her?"

"Nah," she said. "They broke up a while ago, so they definitely didn't love each other."

Link considered this, chewing his lip. He peeked over the edge again with Zelda, watching Jakamar and Wyrna giggle some more before he put his hands in her hair and kissed her again. Link looked at Zelda and snickered before settling back down behind the barrier.

"Do you think you'll ever kiss anyone?" Zelda asked a moment later.

"Probably? Most people do, right?" Link replied.

"Do you want to try it?"

Link froze. "Us?" he asked, gesturing to himself then to Zelda.

"Well, yeah, obviously," Zelda replied, rolling her eyes at him.

Link swallowed, heart suddenly beating very fast in his chest. Zelda was his best friend. For a while he thought he was going to marry her, but he'd also been five when he thought that. Zelda climbed trees and looked at bugs with him; she played swords with him sometimes. She pushed Cawlin into the pond when he was being mean to Fledge. One time, when they were playing hide and seek with Keet, Peatrice, and Parrow, Zelda shoved Link off the island onto the secret ledge below the windmill. Zelda wasn't a girl…

Except, she was. Link forgot that sometimes. He started to feel a little sweaty and rubbed his hand through the back of his hair.

"Everyone fusses about it," Zelda said when his silence started to bother her. "Orielle is always giggling, and Peatrice has been kissed for real, she says… whatever that means. I want to know what the big deal is, don't you?"

"I… guess?" Link said.

"Do boys ever talk about it?"

"Sometimes," he replied. "I think Parrow has kissed someone."

" _Who_?!" Zelda asked, scandalized, but then she shook her head. "No, wait, I don't really care. Look, do you want to kiss me, or not?"

Link considered her. If he was going to kiss anyone, it might as well be Zelda. After all, he knew her, so it wouldn't be like he was kissing some stranger. And Zelda was pretty. She was his friend, but she was … pretty.

Link spun so he was facing her and sat up a little taller, folding his legs in front of him. "Okay, let's go."

"All right," Zelda said, adopting the same position. She leaned in a little bit and closed her eyes. "Kiss me."

Link froze again. "Wait, why do I have to go first?"

"Because you're the boy!"

"What?! What if I was kissing a boy?" he asked fairly. "Or, what if you were kissing a girl? Who would go first then?"

Zelda thought about this, chewing her lip as she did. Link was suddenly very distracted by her lips. "That's fair," she said. "We'll go at the same time."

"Fine," Link replied.

"Okay."

"… Okay."

"Ready?"

Link took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Zelda tensed. "On three."

"Three," he replied, ruffling his hair. Did he brush his teeth this morning? Did she brush hers?

"All right," Zelda said, narrowing her eyes a little and pressing her lips together. "One."

"Two." Link was breathing really fast now, his hands clenched into fists on this knees. Zelda was staring at him and he was staring back. She looked… angry. He didn't want her to kiss her if she was angry about something. This was a bad idea. He should never have-

" _Three_!" Zelda shouted, then she leaned forward and pressed her mouth hard against his.

Link's tried to relax, but everything felt tense. There was a brief second where his lips had been smashed into his teeth, but then Zelda softened into him and it was…

Link leaned forward a bit, pressing his mouth against hers and closing his eyes. Zelda pulled away a second later and for a fleeting moment, Link didn't want her to stop. He kept leaning forward until he started to feel a little off balance, then sat rigidly straight, hoping she hadn't noticed.

Zelda was pink in the cheeks, her hands folded in her lap. She had her lips pressed together and seemed to be analyzing something. Link just sat there, expression blank, his head spinning and heart fluttering behind his ribs.

"That… wasn't bad," Zelda murmured after a beat of silence.

"No…" Link agreed, not wanting to say any more than that.

Zelda pressed her lips together again. "You were right, it's a little wet."

Link pressed his lips together. "Yeah, but it's not… bad."

"No, not bad," she agreed. "But, I don't see the fuss." She looked at him, tilting her head a little. "Your nose was in the way."

His _nose_ was in the way? "M-my-my nose?" Link sputtered, feeling hot along the edges of his ears. "You…you pushed my lips into my teeth!"

"Well," Zelda scoffed, looking flustered now. "I went in on three and you just sat there-"

"I leaned in!"

Zelda considered him for a moment, pouting a little. "I guess… I mean… Maybe I pushed you a little bit. I didn't mean to."

"It… it probably takes practice," Link said fairly.

"Yeah, maybe," Zelda mumbled, her face still a little pink. "But it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be."

"Yeah… it wasn't…," Link replied, watching as she started brushing grass off her pink skirt. Zelda always looked pretty in that color. It made her hair look like gold and it did… something to her eyes. Link stared at her, his heart still beating a little fast in his chest.

"Do you want to do it again?" he asked a little sheepishly.

Zelda paused, wide blue eyes locking with his. "No?"

"Yeah," Link blurted, jumping to his feet. He fisted his hand into the hair at the back of his head and cleared his throat. She was staring at him, so he shoved his hands deep into his pockets and just… shrugged. "Me n-neither," he said, shrugging again.

Zelda stood up very slowly, looking a little confused. "Link? Do you-"

"I'm… gonna go t-talk to Rusta," he said, gesturing over his shoulder to the Sparring Hall. His voice was really high for some reason. "I'll-I'll see you later."

"Yeah," Zelda said, twisting her fingers and motioning towards the other end of the island. "I'm… gonna go swimming. I'll see you later."

Link gave her a weak smile and turned over his shoulder, walking to the edge of the bridge and jumping over it before practically running into the Sparring Hall. He stayed there all afternoon. Not because he was practicing really hard. He held the sword, but most of the time he just flipped it around in his wrist and stared at the floor.

He didn't end up seeing Zelda later, though he was sure she was around somewhere. Usually, she came over in the evenings to sew with his mom, but she never stopped in. Eventually, dinner was ready, so Link guessed she was still swimming, or she'd found something else to do for the night without him.

That was fine. It was probably good she was doing something else. They did spend a lot of time together after all. Groose always pointed that out.

 _Do you want to do it again?_

Link felt embarrassed; he wasn't sure he wanted to see Zelda for a couple of days. Maybe not ever…

 _Do you want to do it again?_

His father was working on the face of a Loftwing and Link was watching him, trying to figure out how he got everything so precise. Link was still a little awkward with carving, just like he was with everything. His father was never awkward it seemed.

Link ruffled his hair and tried to focus on how to hold the tools and how much force to use with the mallet, but he couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said to Zelda. He was really stupid for asking that. Of course, she didn't want to do it again. Kissing was gross, right? It was gross. It was really, really gross. His father was humming while he worked. Link's mom was inside sewing a blanket or a dress or something. He stared at his father for a few minutes, thinking about when they were making dinner and his dad laughed at something his mother said then kissed her on the lips right in front of him like it was no big deal at all.

"Dad?" Link asked before he could stop himself. "Do you kiss mom with your tongue?"

It was probably the wrong time to ask. His dad had just started to swing the mallet and he jumped little. A large piece of wood was shaved off and it fell onto the table, making the Loftwing's face a little lopsided. His father stared at it for a moment, then cleared his throat and looked over at Link, who blushed and made a weird coughing sound before going back to chipping off small pieces of wood from his own project and pretending he'd never spoken at all. Ever. He was never going to talk again.

"Why do you ask?" his father said in a slow, quiet voice.

"I dunno."

"Link…"

"We… we saw…"

His father was giving him a strange look. Link cleared his throat again.

"WesawJakamarandWyrnakissingtoday," he said very fast, shrugging as he continued chipping away at the piece of wood in front of him.

Link's dad laughed, relaxing a bit. "How do you know he was kissing her with his tongue?"

" _Do_ people kiss with their tongues?"

"What do you think?"

Link frowned. "Someone told me they did."

"What _else_ did they tell you?" his father asked in a curious tone.

Link paused and set down his tools. "Nothing… actually."

"Really?" his father said, sounding surprised. "They didn't talk about anything else?"

"No, just… kissing."

"Who were you talking with?"

"Just… a friend…"

Link's father smirked a little. "Well, in the interest of encouraging honesty," he said, taking a deep breath. "Yes, sometimes I kiss your mom like that."

" _Why_?" Link asked, scrunching up his nose.

"Because I love her," his dad smiled. "I think she's beautiful, and it feels nice to kiss her like that."

"Does… does she like it?"

"She tells me she does," he laughed. "She would tell me if she didn't."

Link nodded, going back his project. His father just watched him, a strange smile on his face.

"Did you kiss someone?" his father asked.

"No."

"Did you kiss Zelda?"

" _NO_!" Link practically shouted. His father was still looking at him funny. " _No_. Zelda's my friend. You don't _kiss_ your _friends_."

"You don't?" his father asked. "Well, I'm making a mistake then because your mom is my best friend and I kiss her."

"Yeah, but you guys are in love."

"We were friends before we were in love and I kissed her then, too."

Link thought about this. He wasn't in love with Zelda. Maybe he loved her as a friend because she was his best friend, but that wasn't _love_ love. She was fun; she made him laugh and he made her laugh. They looked out for each other and told each other everything… But he didn't _love_ her. He definitely did _not_ want to kiss her again.

"That Loftwing you're making," his father said. "It's for Zelda, right?"

Link nodded. "I'm going to paint it blue like her Loftwing and give it to her for her birthday."

Link's father smiled gently. "I bet she'll love it."

"Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah, Link?"

"Can you teach me how to swim?"

Link's father paused. "You don't know how to swim?" he asked, sounding surprised. Link shook his head. "Huh…but you go to the pond all the time with your friends. I figured you'd jump in and one of them would teach you," he said, looking a little guilty for some reason.

"No, I never ask," Link explained.

His father nodded. "Well, it's not hard. I can show you, but I bet if you get in with the other kids you'd figure it out very quickly. That seems to be your gift, Link. You're a very fast learner."

Link nodded, then chewed his lip. "Can we do it tonight? When it gets a little darker, so no one sees?"

His father laughed and ruffled his hair. "Yeah, we can swim tonight."

* * *

Zelda's birthday arrived a few weeks after they'd started their first year of classes at the Academy. She really wanted to have a swimming party, and had apologized to Link thinking he would have to just sit on the edge of the water, but Link had grinned and shoved her into the pond when she had her back to him. When she came up, gaping at him in shock, he did a dramatic leap of the edge right after her.

" _You can swim_!" she shrieked ecstatically. "I knew you'd learn how! You learned fast, who taught you?"

"My dad. We came out here at night for a couple weeks," he explained, swimming in wide circles around where she was floating.

"At night? Why night?"

Link shrugged. "I didn't want anyone to see me."

"Why?" Zelda asked, confused.

Link jerked his head to where Groose and Cawlin were watching them. Groose was frowning at Link with a weird expression.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Ignore them, they're featherheads. You know, I'm not sure Groose can even swim since he can touch all the way across the pond," she pointed out.

After they went swimming, they all had cake that Link's mom had made for her and some of Zelda's friends gave her presents. Peatrice gave her special paint that she could put on her fingernails, and Karane gave her some knitting needles and yarn. None of the boys had gotten her anything except Link, so he waited until everyone left to before giving her the blue Loftwing he'd been working on.

" _Wow_ ," she'd gasped, turning it gently over in her hands so she could examine it.. "Link, you've gotten really good. This is amazing."

"I did this one all on my own," Link said proudly. "Even the face and the wings. I wanted it to be a little bigger, but-"

"No, this is… this is really good, Link, thank you," she said, nudging him with her shoulder.

"You're welcome," he said, nudging her back.

Link was relieved that nothing had changed between them. He'd worried Zelda would think he was weird for asking if she wanted to kiss again, but she acted just the same as she always had. Though, she had been a lot more… touchy with him. Zelda always hugged Link when she was happy, or sometimes when she was upset about something she would hold his hand, but now she was touchy with him in other ways.

She held his hand a lot more, even if she wasn't cold or scared, or sometimes she'd loop her arm through his when they walked. Zelda always sat next to him in their lessons, and if they were just sitting around talking she'd lay her head on his shoulder. Link didn't mind it; Zelda was always warm and as the winter months came, it was nice to have her snuggle on him. He guessed she was doing it to keep warm since the classroom at the Academy was always cold. Though no one else seemed to accept this as a valid reason for Zelda was always touching Link.

"Are you two going out?" Keet asked one day after he'd seen Zelda hugging Link after class. It wasn't the first time someone had asked them that, and Zelda and Link always responded " _No_!" at the exact same time.

"Why does everyone keep asking that?" she wondered. Link had just shrugged.

"Because you always sit by him, and you're always touching him," Karane pointed out.

"And you are always together," Peatrice added. "It's like you're married."

"No, it's not," Zelda scoffed. "We're best friends."

"If you say so," Karane had shrugged. Link wasn't exactly sure what she meant by that, but he shrugged it off. They just didn't understand that he and Zelda were always like this.

"I keep saying it," Groose muttered when they walked into class. " _Little_ Link can't go anywhere without _Little_ Zelda."

"Look who's talking," Link muttered. "It's the guy with three shadows."

Zelda laughed "He's got a point," she said to Groose when he scowled at Link. "Cawlin and Stritch follow you around like a couple of lost Remlits."

Groose had pushed his red hair back and ignored her, but Link saw Cawlin and Stritch move to different seats for that lesson.

The questions kept up for a few months, but by the time spring came around everyone stopped asking if Link and Zelda were going out and just accepted that they were close. It was mostly students who asked about them anyway, though Jakamar teased Link about it when he stopped over one afternoon.

"I always see you two holding hands when she walks you to lessons in the morning," Jakamar pointed out, sitting down on Link's couch. "You walk right by my house, so it's hard to miss."

Link shrugged. "It's still cold in the morning. I don't have gloves."

Jakamar lifted an eyebrow and looked at Link's mom, who mouthed, " _Yes, he does_." Link pouted a little, trying to ignore the fluttering in his stomach. He did have gloves, but they were itchy. His skin was always red after he wore them, so he liked holding Zelda's hand to stay warm instead. Jakamar shook his head and laughed.

"So, Night Rider, I've got a question for you," he said, leaning forward on his knees and folding his hands between them. "You know Wyrna, right?"

"Yeah," Link replied. Of course he knew Wyrna; she was one of the only girls training to be a Rescue Knight so Link saw her at the Academy every day.

"Well, I asked her to marry me a few days ago, and she said yes," he explained. Link inhaled sharply, then stifled a laugh. Jakamar noticed this and quirked an eyebrow at him. "What's funny?"

"I… we saw you kissing last summer," Link explained, feeling a little warm in his cheeks. Jakamar got a strange little smirk on his face.

"Was that before or after you kissed Zelda?" he asked.

Link yelped. "I didn't- We-" he sputtered, horrified when both his parents started to smile at him.

"Ah, don't deny it, Night Rider… I remember that day," he laughed. "Wyrna and I stopped kissing because we could hear you two talking about it," he teased.

"I-I didn't kiss her like you were kissing Wyrna!" Link argued, very hot in the face now. His mother had put her hand in front of her mouth and was giggling, red through her cheeks just like Link was. His father was just smirking at him and Link wanted to disappear into the cushions on his chair.

"I should hope not," Jakamar replied. "You're too young to be kissing like that. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I'd like to ask you to be the Page in our ceremony."

"Oh," Link said, surprised by the question. "What's that?"

"Well, right before we say our vows, you'll give me the crown to put on Wyrna's head. You'll also be in charge of the ribbons we use for the handfasting," he explained. "Otherwise you'll just stand behind Manu and listen to the ceremony," he added, smiling at Link. "So, what do you think? Will you help me out?"

"Um, sure," Link shrugged. "Why me?"

"I know your mom and dad pretty well, and I get a kick out of you," he said. "Plus, Wyrna thinks you're very handsome."

Link's cheeks were still very hot, and he ruffled the hair at the back of his head nervously before nodding. "Okay."

"You'll be partnered with Peatrice, she's going to be Wyrna's Flower Maiden," Jakamar added.

"I don't have to… kiss her or anything, do I?" Link asked.

This was met with another round of laughter and Link wished he would stop saying stupid things. It had become a bad habit of his lately.

"No," Jakamar said when he stopped laughing a moment later. "You don't have to kiss her."

"Then yeah, I'll do it," Link said.

"Great," Jakamar added, standing up and offering Link his hand to shake. Link took it and grinned, wondering in the back of his mind what he'd have to wear as a Page boy.

* * *

The day of the wedding came in late May, and Link was wearing a light green tunic with a white shirt underneath. He thought he looked a little like a knight in the outfit which made up for the fact that the shirt was very itchy.

"Hold _still_ , Link," his mother was saying as she combed through his hair. Link frowned; he'd been combing his own hair for a while now, and he liked how it laid when he did it, but his mom was insisting on helping because of the wedding. "You want to look nice, don't you?"

"I don't look nice now?"

"You do, but you want your hair to lay neat instead of being wild"

Link frowned. "Dad's hair always wild and you still like it."

He saw his mother smirk at him in the mirror. "Yes, I do. But I guarantee you it was combed on our wedding day."

Link nodded and tried to stay still, watching his mother's reflection in the mirror. "You look pretty, Mom," he said, watching her blush a little. She'd made herself a new red dress for the wedding and put flowers in her hair.

"Thank you, Link," she smiled at him. Link watched his dad come up behind her, moving her hair a little so he could kiss her on the neck. Then he touched her softly at the waist and Link's mother blushed even more. They were kissing a lot lately, more than they ever had, or maybe Link was just more aware of it now.

Wedding ceremonies always took place in the Plaza, which had been swept and decorated with flowers. There was quite the crowd when Link walked over, and it made him nervous until he saw Zelda standing with a small group of people.

"Ooh, don't you look handsome!" she said, smiling brightly at him. He blushed a little, then frowned when Peatrice took him by the shoulders and turned him from side to side, examining him with her eyes narrowed.

"You'll do," she said. "Though Zelda's right; you look smart in that color. You should wear it more."

"Thanks?" he said when she released him. He was never sure if Peatrice was complimenting or criticizing him.

"Isn't this romantic?" Karane said, looking around at the flowers that had been strung up with the flags around the island. "Look at Jakamar and how handsome he is. He looks like a Knight. I bet Wyrna will cry when she sees him."

"Why would she cry?" Pipit asked.

"Because she's so happy," Kina explained, her yellow dress sparkling a little in the sunlight. She was fussing with her hair and Link guessed she would be singing today; that was why she was dressed so pretty.

"People don't cry when they're happy," Link said, watching Kina tie a gold ribbon around her hair when she got it all pulled back.

"You don't," Karane replied a little disdainfully. "But some people do. People cry when babies are born, and my mom cried when Luv and Bertie got married."

"I remember that day," Zelda gushed. "Luv was so beautiful. I bet Wyrna will look just as beautiful, and she's got that cute haircut that- Oh, Link!" she said then, taking him by the shoulders and spinning him toward the platform. "They're calling for you; you'd better go."

"Are you staying for the party after?" he asked, resisting a little when Peatrice started to tug him toward where Jakamar and Manu were standing.

"Of course," she said brightly. "I'll see you then."

For some reason, Karane was smirking at Zelda, but Link didn't have time to figure out why because Peatrice gave a firm tug on his arm and pulled him towards the platform. He took his place behind Manu like they'd showed him the day before yesterday, and Manu handed him a crown of blue and white flowers. There were yellow feathers weaved into the crown and Link guessed they were from Jakamar's Loftwing. He remembered his father saying something about how when two people got married, their Loftwings became partners as well.

Jakamar's yellow Loftwing was standing behind him, and Link could see Wyrna's light blue one across the platform. A few moments later, his father's friend Albertos started playing a small wooden instrument and Wyrna walked out from behind the Light Tower. Jakamar smiled broadly at her and Link saw that his eyes were a little wet. He wondered if the sun was in them; it was very bright today.

Zelda's father led the ceremony and he talked a lot about love and the Goddess Hylia being the source of that love. Link tried to listen, but Gaepora always made things sound so complicated and formal. He did catch something about marriage being a "culmination" of all the relationships one can have: wife, husband, lover, teacher, and best friend. Link thought about his parents randomly, and wondered how long they were friends before they fell in love.

Standing under the sun was getting fairly hot, and Link tugged at the collar of his shirt because it was sticky on his neck. Manu laughed a little and gave him an empathetic smile over his broad shoulder, then finally Gaepora asked for the crowns. Link and Peatrice walked forward at the same time and handed them to Jakamar and Wyrna.

When Jakamar placed the crown on Wyrna's head, Link couldn't help but think she looked a little like the Goddess in her white dress. Jakamar was wearing a red scarf around his shoulders, and it reminded Link of Hylia's Chosen Hero in the stories they read with they were kids. Wyrna smiled brightly and set a crown of white flowers and blue feathers on Jakamar's head, then she held out her hand and Jakamar placed his inside it while Manu turned around to take the ribbons from Link. Gaepora took them between his two large hands and cleared his throat.

"Jakamar and Wyrna," he said in his low, deep voice. "Do you promise to honor and respect one another, seeking to uphold this honor for the entirety of your lives?"

"I will," Jakamar and Wyrna said at the same time.

"Do you promise to share each other's pain and seek to ease it? To carry each other's burdens when needed, and revel in each other's triumphs? Do you promise to help each other grow, to share in laughter, and always look for brightness and goodness in one another?"

After each question, Jakamar and Wyrna both responded with, "I will," and Gaepora would wrap another ribbon around their hands. When he finished, their hands were tied together with several loops of ribbon that formed something of a knot, though it wasn't tied.

"The Goddess Hylia bid us to live in harmony, to bear descendants, and to keep faith in her and with each other. With her blessing, I bind your souls together as one. Look upon each other, and speak your vows for all to hear," Gaepora said, watching Jakamar and Wyrna turn to face each other. They began speaking in perfect unison, their eyes locked together, both of them smiling a little.

"Guardian Goddess Hylia and the Gods of Old, hear my words and receive my vow: I give myself to you in life, in love, and in flight. I am yours, and you are mine, from this day until my last day."

They both smiled, and Wyrna giggled when they stepped closer together, Jakamar leaning down a little so he could kiss her softly. He curled his hand around her jaw, thumb smoothing a path along her cheekbone and Link made a mental note that he'd seen both Jakamar _and_ his father do this. Maybe girls liked that...

Everyone cheered and threw flower petals and feathers in the air when they came apart. Jakamar took his scarf and draped it over Wyrna's shoulders, smiling at her as he did. "Jump!" people started yelling at them, and Link remembered it was tradition for newly married couples to jump off the platform together with their hands bound. They would have to work together to untie the ribbons or somehow mount their Loftwings side by side while still connected.

Jakamar looked at Wyrna, still grinning, then they squeezed their hands tighter and took a running leap off the platform. Their Loftwings followed directly after them and a few seconds later they soared into the sky side by side. Everyone shouted and clapped again, watching them circle around the whole island before landing back in the Plaza. Link remembered his mother saying something about how couples who undid their binds swiftly were more likely to have a happy marriage.

"But I don't put much faith in that because it took your dad and I forever and we're perfectly happy," she told him as they walked towards the area where the Bazaar usually was.

"How long did you fall?" Link asked.

"Oh… probably a minute? Maybe a bit longer?" she mused.

"Your mom thought it would be funny to get the ribbon stuck on her ring, so it took us-"

"I did _not_!" Link's mother laughed, elbowing his dad playfully as they walked to one of the tables below where the main table was up front.

From his spot, Link could see Jakamar and Wyrna smiling and laughing while people came up to congratulate them. Link knew almost all the Knights because they came to see his dad often, sometimes they even had supper with his parents. Albertos and Corvu both waved at him while they were set up instruments with the man who owned the Lumpy Pumpkin. Kina was standing behind them, looking pretty but a little nervous. Henya was setting up a table of food with help from Pipit's and Karane's mothers. There was an elaborate cake that had three layers and feathers made of frosting all around the bottom. Link ate quickly, but had to wait for everyone else to finish before they cut the cake. When they finally did, Wyrna handed him a piece, gave him a wink, then laughed when he picked up his fork and dug in.

Peatrice was sitting next to him since she was the Flower Maiden. She talked a lot so Link just stayed quiet and listened like he did when Zelda talked. It seemed like Peatrice knew as many people as Zelda did, though she didn't talk about them the way Zelda did.

"Oh, there's Piper," Peatrice said, pointing to the girl who'd held Wyrna's flowers when she jumped off the platform. Link knew her from when she used to be at the Academy and had also seen her in the Bazaar helping with the restaurant there.

"She's sweet on Manu," Peatrice added in a whisper. "Always has fresh bread for him every day. Corvu visits Pipit's mom a lot I hear, but Pipit never says anything about it. He's a Rescue Knight, too, but you probably know that already from your Dad. And Zelda tells you all this."

Link just nodded and continued eating the piece of cake he'd been given. Peatrice had ignored hers; she'd only taken a few bites and Link wondered if she was going to finish it. When she saw his plate was empty, she slid it over to him and he gave what he hoped was a grateful smile, but she just continued to look bored with her chin resting in her hand.

"You know, Pipit looks almost as handsome as you do today," she mused. "I do wish my father would have stayed a knight. They always look so gorgeous in their uniforms. Your mother looks quite smitten with your dad. Did you know she used to date my father?"

Link shook his head, a little startled by this. He couldn't imagine his parents with anyone else but each other. Peatrice sighed deeply then, smiling a little at Link's parents, who were sitting next to each other at one of the lower tables. His dad was talking with Albertos but had his arm around his mother's waist. Her head was resting on his shoulder.

"I can't wait until I meet the right boy," Peatrice sighed, then for some reason, she looked at Link with narrowed eyes. "You are _awfully_ quiet, you know. Are you this quiet around Zelda?"

"No," Link shrugged.

"Is it because you like me?" she grinned.

"Um… no?" Link replied, hoping he wouldn't offend her. "I just… I don't have anything to say."

"Hmmm, dull," Peatrice said. "It probably works out for Zelda though since she talks all the time. Do you think you'll marry her?"

"I don't know," Link mumbled, uncomfortable now. He shifted a little bit in his chair and went to get up, but she grabbed his arm.

"You can't leave yet," she scolded. "We have to dance together with everyone else."

" _What_?!" Link yelped. Jakamar had left this part out, which seemed like a big thing to forget. Peatrice gestured to where Jakamar and Wyrna were standing very close to each other, much too close to each other, swaying on the spot. The song playing ended and everyone clapped, then Peatrice seized his hand and dragged him onto the open part of the square. Link felt horribly sweaty all of a sudden and just stared at Peatrice when the music started to play.

"Oh, Goddess save me," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "You needn't look so terrified. Put your hands here," she said, placing them on her waist. Peatrice put her hands on Link's shoulders and pushed him a little bit until he swayed with the music. He knew he was completely red because he could feel blood rushing hot and fast into his cheeks and along the edges of his ears. Off to the side, someone was laughing at them, and Link turned over his shoulder to see Pipit, Zelda, and Karane standing together at the edge of the square. Cawlin was behind them snickering. He pointed at Link and laughed about something, elbowing Groose to join in, but Zelda swatted him over the head and said something that made Pipit and Groose laugh though Cawlin scowled.

"Are you this afraid of Zelda?" Peatrice asked, giving him a funny look.

Link tried to relax his hands on her waist, but he could feel even more blood rush into his cheeks. "I'm not… scared," he mumbled.

"Maybe not scared, but you sure are embarrassed," she frowned. "You're going to have to get over that if you ever want a girlfriend, Link."

Peatrice released him then, giving him a sad little smile before walking off the floor. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, but then Wyrna came over to him.

"Would you dance with me, Link?" she asked, smiling brightly at him.

"Um, sure," he said, trying a little smile. He couldn't tell her no; it was her wedding day after all.

Wyrna was a lot nicer than Peatrice was. She showed him again where to put his hands, but then she asked if he liked the cake and how school was going, so that made him relax a little. After that song ended, Link saw his mom walking by and he thought it would be nice if he asked her to dance. His father gave him a bright smile and a wink when Link offered his hand to his mother like he'd seen Jakamar do to Wyrna. She smiled brightly at him, blushing exactly the way Link always did.

"Are you having fun?" His mother asked after they'd been dancing for a few moments.

"I guess," he shrugged. "The cake was good."

"The cake was good," she laughed. "Link, you look so handsome and you were very polite during the ceremony, even when it got hot up there. I'm very proud of you."

Link just nodded, swaying side to side with her until the music ended. He let his mother give him a kiss on the top of his head, but then his dad took her hand and walked her to the otherside of the floor. Link watched them go, a little smile on his face. He thought about getting more cake, but Karane, who'd been standing by Zelda the entire time, rushed up to him with her hands clasped together.

"Dance with me?"

"Um, sure," Link said awkwardly, holding out his hands for her. Karane also looked very pretty with her hair down around her face, so it wasn't awful dancing with her. It hadn't been bad dancing with anyone, really.

After that song was done, Kina took a break from singing and came to take Karane's place with Link. Then, when the next song started, Orielle came over. By the sixth or seventh song, Link's feet were starting to feel funny and he'd danced with every girl in the village except Zelda, which he thought was a little odd. He'd seen her dancing with her father once, and his father another time. She'd tried to show Fledge how to dance, but Fledge looked so nervous and fidgety that he just ended up running off. Pipit had jumped into dance with her though, so it wasn't like she'd been alone. After Orielle left him, Link was finally able to sit down and get something to drink, which was when Cawlin, Groose, and Stritch all came over to him.

"How are _you_ getting all the girls?" Cawlin wondered.

"Yeah," Groose agreed. "You look like a shrub in that green shirt. Why is-"

"He looks like a knight," Kina snapped, jumping to his defense with her arms crossed over her chest. " _You_ look like an overgrown weed," she added, frowning at the green cloak draped over Groose's shoulders.

"Yeah," Karane agreed. "Link looks just like his father in that outfit he's wearing."

"And his father is very handsome," Peatrice said, laughing when Link made a face. "Well, your _mother_ certainly thinks so. Look at how close they're dancing!"

Link looked to where she was pointing and, much like Jakamar had been dancing with Wyrna, Link's father was holding his mother very close to him. He had his arms wrapped around her waist and she had her fingers in the hair at the back of his dad's neck. They were talking to one another, smiling, then Link's father leaned down and kissed her. _Really_ kissed her. Link quickly looked away and tried to pretend he hadn't seen anything, but Karane and Kina were giggling and grinning over his shoulder at them.

"They're still so in _love_ ," Karane said wistfully. She had a funny, simpering look on her face that matched the one on Kina's. Even Peatrice sighed a little. Link rolled his eyes and looked around desperately for Zelda. She wouldn't be acting so weird, he was certain of it. He finally spied her sitting across the square at another table, and ran off before someone else could ask him to dance or make some weird comment about his parents.

" _Hey_ ," Link panted when he got to her side. He threw himself down on the bench and leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him. "This is crazy. Everyone's acting weird."

Zelda nodded, avoiding his eyes and fiddling with one of the pink ribbons on her dress. She'd tied the hair that hung in front of her long ears with the same color ribbon and looked really pretty. He noticed that her dress matched his tunic almost, and her lips were very shiny; maybe she was wearing makeup. Link stared at her mouth for a moment then thought about when they had kissed last summer. He felt a strange shiver run from his belly all the way up his neck and tried desperately to think of something else.

"Did you have cake? It was really good," he said, watching her nod. "Do you know who made it?"

"Pipit's mom, I think."

"Oh," Link said. "I thought… Henya-"

"Henya can't decorate like that," Zelda said, gesturing to the feathers at the bottom of the cake.

Link nodded, watching Zelda fiddle the ribbon tied around her waist. "You look nice," Link said, thinking it might cheer her up.

Her eyes widened and she chewed her lip, cheeks flushing a little darker. "Do you think?"

"Yeah," he said, smiling brightly. Link leaned closer, trying to get a better look at her. "You're quiet. I've talked more than you have. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Zelda said, looking away from him.

"You're only ever quiet if something is bothering you," he pointed out.

Zelda sighed, then sat up a little straighter. "Are you going to ask me to dance?"

"Um… yeah," Link said. "I didn't… ask any of them to dance. Well, I asked my mom but that doesn't count," he explained, looking over to where his parents were. They were still kissing so he looked away quickly and gestured to Kina and Karane, who were now staring at Link and Zelda with interested expressions. "They just kind of… jumped in."

"I know," she said. "Karane… she thinks you're cute."

"Oh," Link mumbled. He didn't really know what to do with this information, so he just shrugged and got to his feet. He cleared his throat and held out his hand. "Zelda, do you want to dance with me?"

She smiled then, it was the first time she'd smiled since he sat down. "Yes, I do," Zelda said, then she seized his hand and they walked on the floor.

Link was glad that Peatrice and Wyrna had shown him where to put his hands earlier. He set them on Zelda's waist and she put her hands on top of his shoulders, standing a little closer to him than the other girls had, but he figured that was just because they knew each other so well. He knew Karane and Peatrice a little, but Orielle and Kina he only knew from being in class with them sometimes. Link had known Zelda since they were five and he was a lot more comfortable with her than he'd been with anyone else, even his mom. They swayed slowly with the music and Link wondered when the whole thing would be over. It was early enough that they could go flying or do something else if she wanted.

"Hey, Link?" Zelda said after a few moments.

"Yeah?"

"You don't… want to have a girlfriend, do you?"

" _What_?" Link yelped, looking alarmed.

Zelda bit her lip, then she sighed, looking distressed by something. "Everyone has been telling me all day that… well, that things are going to _change_ between us!" she mumbled, sounding close to tears. "They've been telling me that if… if we don't like each other, one of us is going to get a girlfriend or a boyfriend and we won't be friends after that."

"What?" He scoffed. "That's crazy!"

"I know!" Zelda agreed. "That's what I said."

"No! I don't… I mean… I don't want a girlfriend now," he said. "I don't. You're the only girl I like."

"But you don't… _like_ me…"

Link swallowed, ignoring the sudden fluttering in his stomach. He shook his head. "No…"

"I told everyone that: your dad, my dad, Owlan, Horwell… they all just looked at me funny," she frowned, chewing her lip again. "They told me ' _just wait a few years'_ and I told them that you were my best friend and you'd always be my best friend."

"I will," Link assured her. "You're my best friend, Zelda. I like you better than anyone."

Zelda seized him around the neck then, pulling him into a very tight hug. "Promise me nothing will ever change that," she pleaded. "That we'll always be friends. I don't care if you get a girlfriend or get married someday, I still want to be your friend. Promise me, Link."

Link put his arms around her waist, squeezing her back. He wondered what he would do if Zelda got a boyfriend. She probably would someday since she was smart, and fun, and pretty. Fledge was nice, so was Pipit… Parrow and Keet weren't bad either. Link didn't know how he'd feel if she started going out with someone like Groose or Cawlin, but if she was happy… he supposed he'd have to be happy too unless they were mean to her or something. He wouldn't like that, but then he'd just tell her to break up with them and she would. Link thought maybe he'd be the one to hold Zelda's flowers when she jumped off the platform. Or… maybe… maybe he'd be the one jumping off the platform with her…

"Link," she said, squeezing him a little tighter. " _Promise_ me."

He squeezed her tighter back, wondering why there were so many butterflies in his stomach every time she hugged him. She had her face buried in his neck and he felt shivery even though it was warm out. Link put his face against her shoulder, whispering, "I promise," and thinking that he'd do everything he could to keep that promise.

* * *

Thank you so much for the feedback, it really does mean a lot and it gives me things to mull over. If interested, I do have author's notes up on all of the chapters on my tumblr (andelynk) which is also the best place to interact with me. Thanks again!


	7. That Time Zelda Punched Groose

**That Time Zelda Punched Groose**

* * *

The summer of Zelda's thirteenth birthday had been hot. She and Link spent almost every single day by the pond since it seemed to be the only cool place on the island. Zelda had to have Larke help her make another swimsuit halfway season after she started to grow out of all her clothes. This had happened to Zelda a lot in the last year. By the time school started, she'd taken to wearing leggings and skirts all the time because none of her trousers fit her and she was so busy that she didn't have time to make more.

There were a lot of things taking up her time now aside from lessons. Her father had started taking her to Congress meetings, so she could learn first-hand how things on the island worked. And Orel, having recently been named Captain of the Guard, pulled Zelda and Link aside to ask for their opinions on how he could support students training to be Knights. These new responsibilities and expectations made Zelda decide it was time to have a talk with Horwell.

But when she brought up his continued use of her childhood title, he'd just laughed good-naturedly at her and shook his head. "Zelda, I have known you since you were _hours_ old, you will always be little to me. It is a habit now, I don't know if I _can_ stop."

Zelda frowned and crossed her arms. "My father stopped calling me Little Zelda over a year ago," she pointed out. "You called me that in class today, Horwell. In class!"

He laughed again, and Zelda's ears felt a little hot. "I'm sorry. It's affection, Little Zelda," he explained, watching her scowl at him. "I mean nothing by it. You can't honestly think I mean you are _little_ anymore. You have grown so tall this last year you are barely a head shorter than I."

Horwell held his hand over her head and drew it back to his shoulder, referencing her recent change in height. "You are taller than almost every boy in your year. How does Link feel about that?"

"He doesn't like it," Zelda replied. "And _I_ don't like being called _Little Zelda._ Please _stop_ ," she said, then she turned on her heel and walked away, ignoring his chuckling as she went.

She'd been honest about Link not liking her recent height change. It didn't make him angry, but he wasn't happy about it that was for sure.

"It's just _weird_ ," he told her later after she'd grumbled about her conversation with Horwell. "We've always been the same, but _now_ ," he mumbled, tilting his head to look up at her. "Karane isn't taller than I am, neither is Kina."

"Peatrice and Orielle are though," she pointed out. "Don't worry about it. You'll catch up. Boys go through puberty-"

" _Ah-ahh_ ," Link bleated, putting his fingers in his ears. "Don't say that word. We talk enough about it in that class," he shuddered, but then he started snickering for some reason.

Zelda frowned. "What's funny?"

"Nothing," he replied. She continued to stare at him, because Link just didn't laugh like that over _nothing_. When he did not stop, Zelda started to get annoyed by it, so she huffed and crossed her arms. Link saw this and leaned close, lowering his voice to almost a whisper.

"Pipit thought he would be cool by showing Eagus how he can use a broadsword, but when he was talking his voice _cracked_ and -"

"He was probably really embarrassed," Zelda interrupted, suddenly very irritated.

Link looked a little guilty, but he shrugged, still smiling. "He was, but he laughed about it later, so-"

"It's not funny. Since when do you laugh at people? You don't like it when Groose makes fun of _you_ for-"

" _Hey_ ," Link protested. "I wasn't making fun of him. He thought it was funny too after it happened. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me!" Zelda snapped, arms still squeezed tight around her chest. Link stared at her, eyes wary for some reason. "Stop staring at me like that."

"I'm not… staring," he said, looking down at the ground. He chewed his lip, like he was weighing his next sentence.

"What's wrong with _you_?" she asked when he didn't say anything.

Link flushed a little bit through his ears and scrunched his nose up. "You've been grouchy lately."

Zelda scoffed. " _Yeah_? Well… you've," she sputtered, unable to stop herself. She had no idea why she was so angry right now, it seemed to come so quickly as of late. But Link was being annoying, and it was mean of Link to laugh at Pipit for something he couldn't control, and mean of him to say she'd been grouchy.

"You've been _mean_ lately," she growled, jumping up to her feet and storming off. Link made a noise of protest as she walked away, and for a split-second, Zelda felt guilty for snapping at him, but she couldn't find it in her to apologize right then.

A new school year started at the beginning of August, and the first few months of lessons were horrible. In addition to being angry over the slightest things, or annoyed at anyone who crossed her path, Zelda found herself in a constant state of embarrassment thanks to a stupid class she'd been enrolled in. The description said it was a health class, but after a few lessons she felt that was a bit misleading.

Owlan led the class, which made sense since he was the village Healer, but he was also like a second father to Zelda and that made the whole thing even worse. When he opened the lecture with "You are all at an age where your body is going to, or has already started, changing," Zelda wanted to die in her chair. She didn't know whose idea it was to have a whole series of lessons on this topic, because surely everyone's parents talked to them about it, but it was mandatory for everyone currently enrolled at the Academy.

"I don't see why we have to be all together," Zelda grumbled one day after class.

"There aren't any kids coming into the academy after you," Orielle explained. "Your class is the youngest on the island right now, and the last class was a few years ago when Jakamar and Wyrna graduated."

"I meant why are we in with all the _boys_? Why can't we have a class just for us?" she asked, gesturing to the girls sitting around her.

"Maybe they threw us in together so they only had to do it once," Karane mumbled. "But, Goddess _save_ you, Zelda… you're going to be the only girl in a class of boys and-"

"I'm not," Zelda interrupted, looking at Kina. "Kina-"

"I'm not staying full time, Zelda," she explained. "I know I'm not going to be a Knight, so I'm only doing the core classes."

"Oh," frowned Zelda. "That's too bad." She liked Kina; she was sweet and always had something nice to say. Zelda tried not to think about what it would be like when she had History, Culture, or other classes with the boys in her year. They were all so annoying right now that she didn't know if she'd be able to stand it.

"They're so annoying about all of this; none of them can stop _giggling_. It's not funny. What we're talking about is… important. It's health stuff, right?" Zelda asked.

"Is it?" Karane asked, fighting back a laugh. "I'm sorry, but listening to _Owlan_ talk about… about _sex_?" she whispered. "That was awkward. And that day they made us toss a ball around and name all the different slang terms we knew for it? Pipit was hilarious and I thought I was going to _cry_ I was laughing so hard."

Zelda grimaced. The changing bodies stuff had been bad enough, but when _that_ had come up, Zelda stared straight ahead and refused to look anyone. She also hadn't had anything to add to the discussion when they asked for their input, so she just ended up tossing the ball to someone else when it was thrown at her. The whole thing was awful, worse than the one time her _father_ had tried to discuss it with her, but she blamed the boys for making it worse. Even Link, who usually stayed quiet. Zelda had to kick him under his chair during one lesson to keep him from laughing out loud.

Peatrice scoffed then. "The whole thing seems like a joke to me. Owlan probably hasn't had sex in years. I _never_ see him with anyone so how can he even know what he's talking about? I was more upset when they brought the boys back in after Henya talked to us and basically told them everything we'd just heard."

"Yeah, but they didn't go into as much detail," Karane pointed out, cringing a little and watching Zelda do the same.

A few days earlier, Owlan had taken the boys into the Sparring Hall while Henya came into the classroom with all the girls. She stood up front and talked _at length_ about body parts Zelda only knew about from reading the health books in her father's library. If that hadn't been bad enough, a few minutes later Owlan came back in with all the boys (who, Zelda noticed, looked a mix of amused and uncomfortable) and started talking about the exact same things Henya had right in front of them. He'd said the words "cycle" at least thirty times, and talked about ways to prevent pregnancy, as if any of them had to worry about that right now. The whole day had been horrifying, and Zelda vowed she was _never_ going to talk about it with anyone again, no matter what.

Orielle let out a single derisive laugh a few seconds later. "They missed the flight where a few of us are concerned," she muttered. "I've been dealing with all of that stuff since I was _eleven_ , so I already knew everything, and Parrow probably knows more than he wants to about it," she grimaced.

"But why did they have _Henya_ talk to us of all people?" Kina asked. "That was _horrible_. I would have rather talked to Owlan. Henya is nice, but… I've _never_ been more disgusted by my body than I was that day."

Peatrice laughed. "I'm with you there," she said, then pointed ominously at Karane and Zelda. "Just you wait. If you're scared of Skytails or Octorocks, you won't be after dealing with your ' _flowering_.'"

Kina didn't say anything, but she let out this strange laugh before exchanging a _look_ with Patrice and Orielle. Zelda and Karane looked at each other, and Zelda knew she wasn't alone in feeling left out of some super-secret yet horrifying club.

Owlan had mentioned things the boys would go through, but it didn't seem nearly as intense. They'd get taller, their voices would crack, and they'd have to deal with having dreams of some sort. No one would explain that to her. When she asked Link about it, he'd sputtered something about 'urges' before turning the same shade crimson as his bird and _literally_ running away from her.

Things had been weird between them since his last birthday, and Zelda didn't know why. Sometimes he looked at her with a funny expression, like he was a bit scared of her, and other times he was downright moody. Zelda blamed Pipit and Fledge to an extent, because Link had been hanging out with them a little more, which put him in proximity to Groose, Cawlin, and Stritch too. Groose had a lot of opinions and trouble keeping his mouth shut. Pipit did too for that matter. It was just another thing that Zelda found annoying as of late, though it had never bothered her before now.

"You pull the string too far back," Pipit was saying while he watched Zelda shoot with one of the Academy bows. "It's all the way by your ear."

"It feels good that way," she argued, focusing on the bullseye in front of her.

"It looks ridiculous," Groose scoffed. "It's not like it makes the arrow fly harder when you release it."

Zelda ignored him and released the string, watching the arrow whip through the air and hit the inner red circle on the bullseye. She smiled, and Karane nudged her shoulder just a bit, a smug look on her face.

"You were saying?" Zelda asked, turning around and looking at Groose and Pipit. The latter smirked a little, but Groose just frowned.

"Don't sound so smug," he grumbled. "You look stupid. Who taught you to shoot like that?"

"Link's father," she said proudly.

Groose rolled his eyes. "Of course he did."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's cheating," Groose muttered, sounding irritated.

"How is it cheating?" Karane scoffed.

"Having the Captain of the Guard teach you-"

"He wasn't Captain when he started teaching me," Zelda snapped. "I was six."

"So you started learning earlier than any of us! That's cheating too!"

"Link started learning when he was that young too," she glowered, gesturing to Link who was lurking by the wall. "It's not our fault that your father-"

"My _father_ taught me plenty," he snarled, stepping forward and pointing right at her face. Zelda stared right back, still standing a bit taller than Groose, though he was catching up rapidly. He smelled like sweat and wet bird feathers and Zelda crinkled up her nose.

"He clearly didn't teach you how to _bathe_ , or use that powder they gave out during class," she mumbled, stepping back and putting her hand over her mouth.

Karane snickered a bit and moved to stand beside Zelda. By now a small crowd had gathered. Peatrice was standing by the bridge with Orielle and Kina, while Fledge hid behind Link as he walked closer to Pipit. Stritch looked a little bored with it all, but Cawlin was flanking Groose. Pipit stood in the middle with his eyes flicking back and forth between Groose and Zelda, a little tense, like he wasn't sure who he should hold back. He opted for Groose since Zelda was taller than both of them.

"Just knock it off," Pipit muttered, pushing Groose's chest a little bit. Groose threw him off and jabbed his finger back into Zelda's face.

"You're…. you..." he started, scowling at Zelda and sputtering a little.

"Don't hurt yourself by thinking too hard," she muttered, listening to Peatrice snicker behind her.

Groose's eyes widened then, and he adopted a malicious little smirk. "You're _bitchy_."

" _Excuse me_!?" Zelda shrieked. Peatrice made a disgusted noise while Karane and Link both shouted, " _HEY_!" in unison. Cawlin laughed gleefully from behind Groose while the latter just stared back, looking pleased that he'd managed to upset her so much with his newfound insult.

"You heard me," he muttered, folding his arms over his chest. "You're being a bitch. _And_ you're a cheater, so maybe-"

Zelda raised her hand and slapped Groose _hard_ across the face. He stumbled, obviously shocked by her action, then she lunged, pushing past Pipit and throwing herself at Groose so hard he flew backwards into the dirt. Before he could right himself, Zelda jumped on top of him and started slamming her fists into any part she could reach.

" _Holy shit_!" Pipit yelped, using another new word a few of them had picked up. Peatrice shrieked something about being "ladylike" while Karane screamed, " _Hit him harder_!" Zelda landed a few more punches before a pair of strangely strong hands seized her by the arms.

"Zelda, _stop_!" Link shouted, pulling her up off Groose and throwing her back. He put himself in between the two of them while Groose and Zelda glared at each other. "He's not worth it!" Link insisted, pushing her back a few more steps.

"You _are_ a bitch!" Groose shouted, wiping his blood away from his lip. "If you had a _mother_ to teach you properly, maybe you wouldn't-"

"You need to shut up, _right now_!" Link snapped, spinning around to face Groose.

Groose lunged, but Link was quicker and ducked so Groose missed his punch and stumbled awkwardly. Link seized the opportunity and threw his tiny body forward, hitting Groose at the waist with an unexpected amount of force and knocking him backward into the dirt. Pipit swore loudly again and grabbed Link around the chest when he went raised his fist and started forward.

"Hey, _easy_!" he shouted. "Link, calm down! He won't hit Zelda but he'll flatten you!"

Link made a growling noise then threw off Pipit's arm just as Groose jumped to his feet, red-faced and still bleeding from where Zelda had hit him across the lip. He leapt toward Link, and both Pipit and Link moved in unison while Zelda, suddenly _horrified_ that she'd slapped Groose in the first place and now all _this_ was happening, jumped in front of Link and-

"What in the _hell_ is going on out here? Hylia, _curse you all_!" Rusta shouted, bursting through the door of the Sparring Hall and looking angrier than Zelda had ever seen him. He looked at Groose, Pipit, and Link standing squared up with one another, Zelda standing between them, and jumped to assumptions of what had happened.

"Straight to the Headmaster!" he shouted, grabbing Groose by his shirt collar and pushing him forward. Pipit and Link both froze, but then started after him a moment later. Zelda stood there staring, still shocked at her reckless behavior. She gave Karane a look and Karane just shrugged and gestured in the direction Rusta had gone.

" _Wait_!" she shouted much too late. They'd already gone inside. Zelda raced after them, bolting through the entrance and up the stairs. They'd already made it to her father's office by the time she caught up. Her father was glaring at Link and Pipit with an angry expression while Groose stood next to them glowering and bleeding.

"It was me, _I_ hit him," Zelda interrupted, leaning against the doorframe, a little breathless from running up the stairs.

Groose laughed. "Like a _girl_ could hit me," he muttered.

Anger surged through Zelda, white hot and boiling, but before she could yell at him, Link and Pipit both started speaking in unison.

"He was making fun of her archery skills and called her a… name," Pipit interjected.

"Groose called her a … _word_ … and she slapped him then he made a comment about her mother," Link said.

Link's words caught her father's attention. "What did he say?"

"He didn't finish it because I told him to shut up," Link explained. "Then he swung at me and I dodged him and shoved him in the dirt."

"And I held Link back," Pipit added.

Her father made a face, his eyes narrowing as he turned to Groose. "What. Did. He. _Say_?"

Before Link or Pipit could respond, Groose piped up. "I just called her a name and she hauled off-"

"He called me a… name," Zelda started.

"What name?" Her father asked, voice tense with anger.

She swallowed, never having said the word before, let alone in front of her father. But the look Groose was giving her made her throw off any caution she might have had left.

"He called me a _bitch_ ," she said, emphasizing the insult. Her father's face turned a little red and she went on. "And when Link pulled me off him, he jumped up and said 'if you had a mother to teach you properly…" but he didn't finish it, because that was when Link told him to shut up and shoved him."

Her father took a deep breath; the tips of his ears were red and he looked angrier than Zelda had ever seen him. "Rusta, go get Cregger, Zipporah, Mallara, and Orel, please," he said very quietly. Link and Pipit both blanched, but didn't argue, which upset Zelda even more.

"Link and Pipit didn't do anything!" she shouted.

"Zelda, you're grounded for a week," her father added, sounding strangely hesitant at the punishment. "Go to your room and stay there. I'll speak with you in a bit."

" _What_?!" she yelped. "This isn't fair! I get called a bitch _and_ I get punished-"

"Zelda, do _not_ say that word again and go to your room, now!" her father snapped. "Link, Pipit, you are dismissed, but don't run off around the island. I'll want to speak with you later when your parents arrive."

Pipit nodded then walked quickly out of the office, and Link followed him with a grimace. Zelda let them pass, and took a few steps back when her father walked forward. He shut the door on her, but she was gifted a momentary glance at Groose's horrified face before he did. There was silence then, and it did nothing to dissipate the anger boiling inside Zelda's chest.

"Why didn't you say anything to defend yourself?" she snapped, rounding on Link.

He blanched, looking positively bewildered. "Why are you yelling at _me_?"

"Because you didn't do anything and yet you're just standing there and let-"

"I pulled you off him before you he hauled off and hit you!" Link argued. "I was trying to help-"

"I didn't need your help," Zelda spat.

"Yes you did," he snapped back. "Because you can't control your temper-"

"I do _NOT_ have a temper!"

"Then why are you so angry lately?" Link asked, stretching up a little bit. "You're always shouting at someone or bossing them around."

"I don't boss anyone-"

"You boss me around," he growled. " _'Link, why'd you sleep in? Link, you aren't training hard enough!_ '" He went on, mocking her tone. "You shoved me into the sparring logs yesterday because you didn't think I was holding my shield right, as if you'd know more about it than I would. You push me around all the time and I just-"

"I'm looking out for you, like I always do! Like I'm doing now because you can't stand up for yourself in-"

"I can take care of myself! You're not an instructor or my mom, Zelda; you're supposed to be my frie-"

"I am your friend!"

"Then act like it and stop yelling at me after I tried to keep you out of trouble!" He shouted before pushing past her and Pipit and storming down the stairs. A few seconds later, there was a slam of a door that signified his exit from the Academy.

"He's right, you know," Pipit said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You need to know when to quit."

"So do _you_ ," she snapped at Pipit before stomping across the hall and throwing open the door to her room. She'd wanted to be alone, but Karane was inside, gathering up clothes and weeping for some reason. Zelda's whole demeanor changed then.

"What's wrong? What happened?" she asked.

"Zelda, oh… nothing…" she mumbled, looking flustered and a little pale. "I um… I'm going home for the night. You'll have the room all to yourself."

"Why? What's happened to you?" Zelda asked, sounding angrier than she intended.

"Nothing, Zelda… just leave it alone," she mumbled, taking her small bag of clothes and rushing out the door.

"Karane-"

"Zelda, seriously, know when to quit, okay?" Karane clipped over her shoulder as she walked away. That was the second time someone had said that to her in the last few minutes, and it was two times too many.

Zelda slammed the door to her room, knocking the single picture of her mother and father off the wall and onto the floor. She looked at it and remembered her father telling her she was grounded. For a _week_. After Groose had called her a cheater and that awful name. How was she supposed to react? Was she just supposed to keep quiet and take it like Link did?

And Link, who was supposed to be a Knight someday and couldn't even make it class on time or stand up when someone made fun of him. She always had to do it for him, just like she had to do _everything_ for him. And he had the nerve to tell her she was bossy? That she pushed him around?

Another surge of anger hit her, and she picked up one of her books on her desk and hurled it at the door. Then she threw a ball of yarn, then another book, then, without thinking, she picked up the blue Loftwing Link carved for her when she turned eleven and flung it across the room. It hit the wall with a dull thud and fell to the floor. One of the wings broke off and skidded across the carpet.

" _Oh, no_ ," Zelda gasped, heart dropping into her stomach. She raced over and scooped it up off the floor, desperately trying to fit the broken piece back into the carving. " _No_!" she whined, fiddling with the wing for a few more seconds then slumping over, face buried in her hands.

"Zelda?" her father said, opening the door. She didn't look up, but could see him giving her a guilty look through the spaces in her fingers.

"Zelda, I am sorry. I do not fault you for what you did. But I cannot have students fighting, _any_ of them, so-"

"Right," she mumbled, still not looking up from her hands. "I'm a _student_."

Her father sighed. "Would you like to talk about it? I have a few moments before Groose's parents arrive."

"I don't want to talk."

"My Little Zelda, please understand-"

"I'M NOT _LITTLE ZELDA_!" She shouted. Zelda jumped up and ignored the alarmed look on her father's face when she walked to the door and grabbed hold of the handle. She took a deep breath, and not wanting to get in even more trouble, pushed down the seemingly uncontrollable rage that kept popping up. "May I _please_ be alone for a while?"

Her father blinked at her a few times, then nodded. "I'll be in my room later if you need me, Zelda."

Zelda just nodded, then shut the door with a little more force than required. She turned her back to the door, still clutching the broken Loftwing in her hand. "What is _wrong_ with me?" she murmured, feeling guilty for shouting at her father, and for shouting at Link. All he did was pull her off Groose before she hurt him worse. He was only trying to keep her out of trouble. She fiddled with the statue, then moved from the floor to the edge of her bed, eyes stinging with tears when she thought more about Link.

 _He certainly doesn't have a problem standing up to you,_ she thought. How long had he been feeling pushed around by her? Had it been weeks? Maybe _months_? Why hadn't he said anything before?

The thought of Link hiding something from her reminded her of when she'd been so jealous of him over his Loftwing. It had taken a week of silence to get him angry enough to say it hurt him, so he must have been feeling that way for a while. She'd been stupid for not talking to him and explaining herself then, and she was stupid now for not telling him why she was so angry.

Except, she didn't know _why_ she was so angry.

She tried to remember the last time she'd felt happy. It had been a while. It was October now? Maybe on Link's Birthday when they'd gone swimming all day? That was before he'd gotten really weird, before school had started up again.

Zelda curled up on her pillow, tears streaming down her cheeks now, the broken Loftwing held close against her chest. She hated it when she fought with Link. It didn't happen often, but she hated it all the same. The last thought she had before falling asleep was that she would apologize to him first thing tomorrow, as embarrassing as it would be. It would be better to be honest about it right now before Link did something crazy, like fly his Loftwing across the sky at sunset just to get her cider.

That night Zelda dreamt it _was_ sunset, but it wasn't sunset on Skyloft. She was standing in a pool of water with pillars all around her, orange sunlight filtering in through the trees above. There was a Goddess statue in front of her, and the water swirling around her waist was surprisingly warm. Zelda had her hands folded and was bowed forward, kissing her knuckles. She wasn't praying, exactly. It felt more like she was leaving something behind for someone else to find.

The orange light was obscured then by dark shadows, and the quiet was interrupted by an ominous growl. Zelda felt the urge to haul herself out of the water and flee from the shadows closing in, but instead she lifted her hands, golden light gathered bright in her palms, molten and dripping over her skin. The shadows swept in, but couldn't crush the white light now pulsing out from her. Zelda lifted her arms, forcing the shadows to retreat and-

Zelda sat straight up in bed, panting and clutching her chest, a horrible tension in her stomach. She threw her feet onto the floor and stood up, intending on walking down to the cafeteria for something to drink since her mouth was so dry. Her hand had just reached the handle of the door when she happened to look down. Zelda gasped, clapping her hand over her mouth to keep from shrieking.

* * *

The cafeteria was full that morning. Link's mother had taught Henya how to make the fried toast, so everyone showed up early when that was on the menu. Zelda steeled her courage, trying to hold her head high as she walked through the cafeteria and over to Peatrice. When she didn't look up or respond, Zelda tapped her on the shoulder.

"What?" she said in that bored tone she always had.

"I need to talk to you."

"I'm eating."

"Just… bring it with."

Peatrice scoffed. "What's so bloody important that you can't wait for me to finish my toast?" she asked.

Zelda took a deep breath, cringing at the irony in Peatrice's words. "Just… come on. _Please_ ," Zelda begged, tugging insistently at Peatrice's shoulder. She finally groaned and stood up, allowing Zelda to seize her hand and drag her all the way up to her room. When they got there, Peatrice blanched while swatting her way through the sheets Zelda had washed early that morning.

"What the… _Zelda_! What is _this_?" she asked, ignoring the embarrassed look Zelda had on her face. "You've got me all the way up here, now what?"

"I… er… um…" Zelda sputtered. She couldn't bring herself to say it aloud. She gestured to the bed, where a towel was laying, then to her stained nightdress that she was going to have to throw out, and to the sheets hanging around them. Peatrice stared around the room, then looked at Zelda, and then for some reason… she started _laughing_.

" _Huh_ ," she snickered. "You and Karane, and within a day of each other," she added, shaking her head. "Stay here, I can help you out."

Zelda did as she was told, realizing now why Karane had rushed home yesterday. Peatrice came back rather quickly, Orielle with her, looking much more sympathetic as she sat down next to Zelda. Peatrice handed her a stack of cloths and smirked.

"These will do for now, I'll teach you how to make some."

"Make them?" Zelda asked.

"Yup, that's all we got," Peatrice laughed. "Have fun with your ' _flowering_!'" she said, pushing the cloths into Zelda's hands and snickering as she left the room. Orielle stayed for a moment, a grimace on her face.

"Ask Owlan for the blue elixir," she suggested.

"Absolutely _not_ ," Zelda replied. "I don't want-"

"You don't have to tell him _why_ ; say you have a headache."

"No," Zelda murmured. "I'll be fine."

Orielle grimaced, then squeezed Zelda on the shoulder and left her alone in her room. Zelda sat on the bed for a few minutes, then ran straight to the bath. It would be free while everyone was eating breakfast.

She got into the tub, not waiting for the water to warm up, and scrubbed herself until her skin felt almost raw. After she was done, Zelda took the time to wash out the tub to make sure no one would suspect anything was going on. Then she dressed, raced back to her room, and threw herself down on to the bed, gritting her teeth and curling into a little ball to try and breathe through the strange pain unfolding in her stomach.

Sometime later, Horwell knocked on her door.

"Hey, Little Zelda," he said gently. She could _feel_ him staring at her. "Class has started…"

"I'm sick," she replied into the pillow.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said, surprised. "Do you want me to send Owlan?"

"No," she muttered. "I can take care of myself."

"Do you need anything?" Zelda could hear the frown in his voice.

"No, I'm fine."

"All right," he replied quietly. "I'll have Link take notes for you."

Zelda nodded as much as she could without lifting it off the pillow. The door shut with a quiet click and she curled further in on herself, tears spilling from the corner of her eyes so thick and fast Zelda wondered if they'd ever stop.

She skipped class the next day, and the day after that. Her father popped in a few times to check on her, but she either faked sleep or just mumbled at him from under the covers. He was appeased enough that he left her be, so she thanked the Goddess for that, though Owlan wasn't so easily put off.

"Hey, Zelda," Owlan said gently, sitting down on her bed beside her. "I'd like to have a look at you if you're still sick. It's been three days and-"

"I'm fine now," Zelda said, springing out of bed and turning to face him. Owlan looked at her, blinking a little bit over the baggy pants and overlarge sweater she was wearing. "I'll be in class today," she told him.

Owlan tipped his head a little. "Zelda, are you alright?"

"I'm _fine_ ," she said flatly, walking straight out her door and into the very back of the classroom. She folded her knees into her chest and pulled the hood of her sweater over her head when students started coming in. Today was History, and a few older students were in class with her year, Karane among them.

She sat down in front of Zelda, leaving her feeling simultaneously awed and angry. Karane was wearing normal clothes and looked as though nothing was wrong. Zelda hadn't even brushed her hair after washing it. She ran her fingers through it a few times to smooth it out, a heavy sense of self-loathing settling in. She leaned forward poked Karane in the back.

"Hey. How… how are you?" Zelda whispered.

Karane looked confused at first, then her eyes settled on Zelda's strange clothing, her surely pale face, and the abysmal state of her hair. "I'm… fine," she sighed, giving Zelda a little smile. "My mom has been helping me."

 _Oh, right. Karane has a mom_ , Zelda thought. "That's… that's good," she said in a tight voice.

"Are _you_ okay?"

Zelda shrugged, leaning back in her chair when anger flashed behind her eyes. She didn't want to shout at Karane, or at anyone who might pass by. No one had done anything to deserve being _shouted_ at.

Horwell came in then and just before he started to lecture, the door burst open and Link _fell_ through it, sweaty and breathing hard. Peatrice and Orielle laughed while Kina watched him curiously and Pipit rolled his eyes. Zelda looked at the desk and tried to hide her face.

"Sorry, Instructor," Link panted as he raced to the back of the room and threw himself into the chair next to her. Horwell just shook his head, then started to lecture while Link pulled out a quill and paper to take notes. The action surprised Zelda. She'd never seen him take notes in the three years they'd had lessons together and wondered why he'd started doing it now.

When there was a break in the class, Link stretched his arms over his head and yawned lazily, glancing out the window next to her. Then paused and leaned forward to look under her hood.

" _Zelda_?" he said, sounding surprised. "Hey."

"Hey."

"I didn't… notice you there," he said a little sheepishly. "Why do you have your hood up? It's warm outside."

 _I know_ , she thought, praying that she wasn't sweating so bad she'd started to smell. That was _all_ she needed.

"Are you still sick?" he asked then. "You look… pale."

"I'm fine," she clipped back.

"I took notes for you," he said then, and Zelda felt her eyes sting. _That's_ why he had the paper out. For her. She held out her hand, but Link turned his whole body to face her and slid his chair a little closer.

"Hey, listen," he said, dropping his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm really sorry about… about the other day. I shouldn't have said all that stuff. I didn't… I should have talked to you instead of yelling," he admitted.

Zelda swallowed, turning so she could look at him. His hair was a mess, and there were toast crumbs on his shirt because that was all he'd had for breakfast… again. _At least he's eaten something_ , Zelda thought. He was wearing a red obi around his waist to hide the fact that you could probably see his stomach because his shirt was too short. It was his favorite though; one she'd made him for his ninth or tenth birthday, she couldn't remember. He was hesitant to get rid of it, and she was going to have to make him a new one.

Link stared back at her, looking embarrassed, and apologetic, and… kind. Link was always so _nice_ to her. Zelda felt her eyes sting and pulled her hood lower.

"I'm sorry, too," she mumbled in a thick voice.

Link tipped his head, looking confused. "Really, though, are you okay? Maybe you should go see Owlan if you're this sick."

"It's not something Owlan can help with," she muttered.

"Can I help?" he asked, and for some reason this made Zelda cry even more.

"You can… g-give me the notes that you took for m-me," she stammered, trying to keep her voice steady. It wasn't working. Karane turned around, having heard her stammering. Link fumbled in his folder for notes and handed them to her, looking downright alarmed now.

"Hey, _Zelda_ ," he said gently. "What's-"

"Just leave her alone, Link," Karane interrupted. "She'll be fine."

Link looked at Karane, then Zelda, then Karane again. "She doesn't _look_ fine."

"Yeah, well, neither do you," Karane shot back. "Have you ever heard of a comb?"

Link scowled, running his fingers through his hair a few times before he sat back in his chair and moped silently. Horwell came back, clearing his throat and beginning to drone on about how the Bazaar was established and how market trade evolved over time. Zelda saw Link fold his arms forward on the desk and lay his head down on them. She felt like doing the exact same thing, but instead she stayed upright and tried to listen to the lecture to distract from everything else going on.

When class ended, Link turned to her, but Zelda was still crying so she dodged his gaze and mumbled, "I'll see you later," before bolting out of the room ahead of everyone else.

She went to her bedroom and crawled back into bed, ignoring the knocking that came to her door a few minutes later. Whoever it was tried one more time, then it was quiet, and Zelda squeezed her eyes shut until she fell back to sleep.

The next day was Saturday, and Zelda had never been so thankful for a Saturday in her life. Saturday meant no classes, which meant no seeing anyone unless she wanted to. She got up early to take a bath, but afterward went right back to her room and curled up in bed. She was just about to sleep again when there was a knock on her door.

The first time she ignored it, but the person knocked again, louder this time. Link was the only one who would come see her on a Saturday, so she sighed and thought she probably shouldn't put him off any longer. She still hadn't officially apologized, and he _had_ taken notes for her for two days after all. They were surprisingly good notes when she read through them. Zelda steeled herself for his overly sympathetic face and opened the door.

But it wasn't Link at the door; it was his mother.

"Hi, Zelda," Larke said, a warm smile on her face.

"Hi… Larke," Zelda replied, confused.

"Link told me you haven't been feeling well."

Zelda frowned. She could tell yesterday that Link was worried about her, but she was just " _sick."_ There wasn't a reason to tell his mother about it.

He didn't… _know_ , did he?

There was no _way_ he could know. Zelda shuddered at the thought. She and Link told each other everything, but there was no way she could _ever_ tell him about this.

"Yeah," Zelda said. "I've been… sick."

" _Hmmm_ ," Larke murmured, her mouth set at a funny angle. "Do you want to come and get some soup with me?"

"Um… I can't," Zelda said, a little sheepish about it. "I mean… thank you, I appreciate the offer, but I'm still not feeling well. And I'm grounded."

"I bet your father would make an exception for me," she said, a little smirk on her face. "Come with me, Zelda. Pumpkin soup will make you feel better; it always does the trick for me every month," she added.

Zelda inhaled sharply, eyes wide while Larke continued to smile warmly at her. "It'll be just us," she murmured, hooking her pinky through Zelda's. "And I won't tell Link anything."

Zelda exhaled slowly. It hit her how much she wanted to talk to someone. Not someone like Peatrice, who had laughed at her, or Orielle, who looked at Zelda like she was dying a slow death. Certainly not Henya, or Owlan, or, Goddess forbid, her father. She wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't embarrass her… like a really good friend. Or a mother.

"Okay," she replied, feeling Larke squeeze her pinky before putting an arm around her shoulder and walking her towards the entrance. Larke paused just long enough to yell, "It's Larke, I'm taking Zelda," into her father's office.

"Oh, alright," came his confused reply. Larke smirked a little, then they walked outside into the fall sunshine.

* * *

"Tell me about Groose," Larke said, stirring her pumpkin soup. They were sitting in the upper level of the Lumpy Pumpkin where it was quiet and private. The crowd below was laughing and rowdy, which meant they wouldn't be overheard no matter what either of them said.

Zelda rolled her eyes and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. The soup was better than anything she'd ever tasted, though she wondered if that was just because she was so hungry after barely eating anything but crackers and the dry toast Henya had pushed on her one morning when she was "sick."

"He's always… he's just jealous," she muttered, dunking a piece of bread into her soup. "He's jealous because I can out shoot him. He's jealous of Pipit because he's better flyer, and of Link because he's better with a sword. He's just jealous and he can't keep his mouth shut, though, if I'm being honest, I don't have room to talk on that front lately," she admitted sheepishly.

Larke smiled. "Link told me you've been 'grouchy.''"

Zelda bristled, but Larke shook her head, and said, "I told him he hasn't exactly been a bed of feathers lately either, with his long silences and that tendency he has to keep everything inside until it explodes."

"What did Link say?"

"He told me I didn't know _what_ I was talking about, and I could _never_ understand what he was going through because I was a _girl_ and just didn't _know_ ," she said dramatically. "Orel told him not to speak to me like that, then Link pouted for a bit before going off to fly."

Larke sighed heavily and took a spoonful of soup before going on. "He spends most of his free time on that bird right now, and I shouldn't complain because he's always in a better mood when he comes back, but I miss the little boy who wanted me to make pancakes every morning."

Zelda frowned, poking idly at the soup in front of her. "He shouldn't speak to you that way," she said quietly. "You're a great mom. You're always… _there_ for him. He's lucky you're his mom. I…" she trailed off, the words catching in her throat.

Larke's eyes were soft as she leaned forward and put a hand over Zelda's. "Zelda, I'm a poor excuse for the kind of mother Aya would have been," she said quietly. "But you can talk to me if you want. I've been exactly where you are. I had no one to go to when everything happened to me, and I was just eleven so none of my friends even knew what was going on. It's not the same situation, but I have a good understanding of how you feel."

Zelda flinched a little bit, her stomach twisting uncomfortably. "How did you know?" she asked. "I mean… how did you know that's what is wrong with me?"

"I took an educated guess based off some things Link told me," she said. "And there's nothing _wrong_ with you."

"Does Link… does he _know_?" she asked, closing her eyes and feeling absolutely horrified at the thought.

"No, and I would _never_ tell him," she assured her. "But he is your best friend after all, so don't be surprised if he puts two and two together, Zelda. We've never hidden things from him, so he's used to it. He will be the last person to tease you."

"I just… I don't want anyone to know," Zelda frowned.

"I understand," she said kindly. "And I'm sorry if I'm making it worse. I just thought about you cooped up in that dorm with only your father, and Owlan and Horwell to an extent. I thought maybe you'd want someone to talk to other than Old Henya."

Zelda spit her soup and laughed a little bit. "That… um…yes, I could use someone to talk to other than Old Henya."

"Did _she_ give you girls the talk?" Larke asked, watching Zelda nod. Larke grimaced. "Did she use the word ' _flowering_?'"

Zelda laughed, _really_ laughed, for the first time in days. For the first time in _weeks_. It felt good. "Yes, she did."

Larke rolled her eyes, looking more like a friend than Link's mother right now. "Goddess, save me. If you would permit me, I'd love to have a chat with your father about finding someone _else_ to handle that part of it. I expect even Owlan isn't good with it, as dry as he can be."

"Owlan did most of it, but the way he talked about…" Zelda mumbled, flinching a little. "He made it _all_ sound like a chore; like something that would just… _happen_ and there was nothing we could do about it."

Larke shook her head and laughed. "That he would," she said. "It's something that must be discussed, but it's hard for anyone. Everyone is either mortified or they all just giggle."

" _Link_ giggled," Zelda said, watching Larke laugh a little. "He- _all_ the boys… they just _laughed_. Some of the other girls laughed too, I guess, but the _boys_ were so-"

"Annoying?" she offered.

" _Yes_!" Zelda said, sitting up straighter. "Yes, annoying. They've all been so _stupid_ lately."

Larke nodded sagely. "I can't give you any advice on that, because when I was your age I thought they were all stupid too. But if there's anything else you'd like to ask me, please feel free to do so."

Zelda smiled a little, chewing her lip. "Why am I so _angry_?" she asked. "I'm angry at my father, and my friends, and… at _Link_ ," she admitted. "He doesn't even do anything, and I just feel… _furious_ with him."

Larke grinned and her cheekbones turned a very bright shade of red. Zelda was struck suddenly by how much Larke resembled Link; they had the exact same shade of dark blonde hair, the same shaped mouth, and they blushed in the exact same pattern and with the same intensity.

"Do you feel anything else for Link?" she asked quietly.

Zelda stared at her soup, her face very hot now. She had never considered this. Link wasn't a _boy_ , Link was her best friend. He'd been her best friend since she was five years old. There were a thousand things she liked about Link, but that didn't mean she _liked_ Link.

"I don't… think so?" she replied, feeling horribly embarrassed that she was discussing this with his _mom_. "No… _no_ ," she said firmly. "He just makes me angry right now."

Larke laughed. "Well, I can't promise you that will change anytime soon, but it's not abnormal to be as angry as you are. Especially right now. Hormones," she said, watching Zelda flinch at the word, "can do crazy things to your brain. You need to take care of yourself."

"How?" Zelda asked.

"Just be aware, mostly. Plan for it each month, keep a calendar, and you also need to _eat_ ," she said firmly. "You scarfed down that soup like you hadn't eaten in days. It's tempting to avoid food when you feel so awful, but you don't need to be any skinnier, Zelda, and eating healthy helps. Get some chocolate, it helps boost your mood. Pumpkin seeds are great too. Owlan has all sorts of plants in his office. Have him transplant you a Camellia, the one with green leaves and white flowers, or a peppermint. You can keep them in your room and I can show you how to dry the leaves and make tea out of them. That helps _a lot_ ," she explained.

Zelda leaned forward on the table, riveted now. She was about to say something, but a quiet little cough caught her attention.

"Ex-Excuse me," Kina said in a wavering voice. "I don't… I don't mean to eavesdrop," she added, looking horrifically embarrassed. "But I overheard you talking. Zelda, can I sit with you and _listen_?" she asked a little desperately. "I don't have anyone to talk to and-"

" _Of course_!" Zelda said, gesturing to the chair next to her. "Please, sit. Kina… I had no idea."

Kina shrugged, sitting down and tucking her dark hair behind her ears. "I was just like you, I didn't want anyone to know."

Larke sighed. "I'm going to have a talk with your father, Zelda," she said. "I promise I will not bring _you_ up at all, but this is terrible. And I know there are girls who started way before this and if they don't have someone to help them…" she said, looking at Kina with a sympathetic expression.

Zelda nodded, then she realized Kina had no idea who Larke was. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Kina, this is Larke, she's Link's mother."

" _Oh_!" Kina gasped, looking a little embarrassed. "Y-yeah… I know Link," she said in a funny voice. "Crazy hair, red Loftwing."

Zelda laughed a little and Larke smiled. "Yes, _that's_ my son."

"I didn't mean anything by it," Kina mumbled apologetically. "Link is… well, he's _very_ nice and he-"

"He has crazy hair and a red Loftwing," Larke shrugged. "There's no reason to be embarrassed about saying that. Now, back to caring for yourself…"

Larke went on, giving Zelda and Kina a list of different foods they could eat to help ease various aches and improve their moods. "Ask Henya if you can use the kitchen. You _live_ there, Zelda, she can hardly deny you."

Zelda agreed, knowing that Henya made many things in bulk just for the vast number of students, but didn't have any problem with Zelda using the kitchen. Larke continued, telling them quite a few things that would be easy to do if she just thought about them, but she did emphasize a few points several times.

"The teas I mentioned really do help, and _chocolate_ ," Larke said again. "You don't need to eat a _ton_ of it, but having some just helps. Get the darker kind from Piper, or Rupin usually has some. And talk to Luv," she added. "She's always making potions and elixirs that do amazing things. Maybe she's come up with something I don't know about yet."

"Something that would make it stop?" Kina asked hopefully.

"No, unfortunately not," Larke said ruefully. "You don't want it to stop. If it were to suddenly stop, it would mean something is happening in your body that is not normal. You could be stressed out or exerting yourself too much. Or, if you're having sex," she went on, ignoring Kina and Zelda's shocked expressions, "it could mean you're pregnant."

"We're too _young_ to have... sex," Zelda said flatly, repeating Owlan's words.

"I couldn't agree more," Larke replied, though she had a rueful smile on her face. "But that doesn't mean some of you won't have it before you're ready."

Zelda cringed, but Kina nodded, eyes a wide as they darted around to make sure no one was listening. "No, she's right," she said, giving Zelda a dark look. "We all thought it was romantic when Jakamar and Wyrna got married, but my dad said it was a freefall wedding."

"What does that mean?" Zelda asked.

Kina dropped her voice to a whisper. " _She was pregnant_."

Zelda froze, giving Kina a confused look, while Larke leaned forward on her elbows. "No, they got married two years ago," Zelda said. "If she was pregnant she would have had that baby a long-"

"No," Kina interrupted. "She _lost_ the baby."

"What do you mean she _lost_ the baby?" Zelda questioned.

"She had a miscarriage?" Larke asked, pressing her hand against her chest. "Kina, how do you know this?"

"Because Jakamar was in here really upset," Kina explained. "I probably shouldn't have listened, but it's hard _not_ to when you have to drop food off all the time. I hear things. Eagus was with him, and Jakamar was… well, he was really upset."

"I can imagine," Larke replied.

Zelda still felt confused. "What's a… miscarriage?" she asked.

Larke frowned. "It's when someone is pregnant, and something happens to the baby," she said. "Your body can't support the pregnancy, and so you… the baby can't survive. It usually happens really early."

"But that's _horrible_!" Zelda gasped. Pregnancy was always a big deal on Skyloft due to the small population. Zelda knew that sometimes people had trouble becoming pregnant, but she'd never heard of this happening before.

Larke gave Zelda a regretful little smile. "It is," she said. "I bet Wyrna was very upset too. But, they're pregnant now and she's fine so far. That helps sometimes."

Zelda frowned, watching Larke push her hair out of her face and turn away from where she and Kina were sitting. Zelda randomly wondered why Link didn't have a little brother or sister, especially since both his parents liked kids and were so in love. She stared at Larke, noticing she wasn't looking anywhere in particular, just off into the distance. A crack opened up in the middle of Zelda's chest, pushing a strange sadness into her blood, and she realized she probably didn't want to know the answer.

They stayed for a few minutes longer, letting Kina ask any questions she thought of, then they left for Skyloft again. When Zelda touched down in the Plaza, Blue set his beak on her shoulder and cooed very quietly. Zelda ruffled his feathers.

"I'm all right," she smiled. "I could have talked to you, I suppose."

The bird squawked, then nuzzled Zelda's head affectionately before taking off again. Zelda watched him go, heart fluttering a little in her chest. She felt better than she had in days. In _weeks_. She felt… happy for once.

"Larke, thank you for coming to get me," she said. "I… I _really_ … I appreciate-"

"You don't have to thank me, Zelda," she said, giving her a one-armed hug. "Do you want to come over and I'll give you that pattern you were asking for?"

Zelda nodded, following Larke back to their house. When she pushed open the door, Link was inside on the floor. He had pencils spread out all around him and was shading in part of a picture she couldn't make out. He looked up at them when they came in and hastily hid whatever he was drawing.

"Ma, Zelda, hey," he said, ruffling the back of his hair with his right hand. It was always his right hand he used… never his left. It was the same hand he drew with and the same hand he used to swing a sword.

"Hi, Link," Larke said. "I didn't expect you to be home."

"Oh… um… I…" he stammered. Zelda noticed his voice sounded a little strange, like he had a cold or something. "I can leave."

"No, that's fine. I was just giving Zelda a pattern for some sewing she needs to do," Larke explained, giving Zelda a stack of cloth and a worn out looking drawing. "Do you want to use my machine?"

"Um… not now," Zelda said, turning her eyes away from Link. "I should probably get back, I am still grounded."

"Oh yes," Larke said, sounding like she did not approve of her punishment. "I'd forgotten about that. Well, it was nice to have lunch with you."

Zelda nodded. "Yeah… it was nice. Thank you. Um… see you around, Link," she added, giving him an awkward smile before nodding at Larke and walking out the door.

She made it to the Plaza before she heard Link calling after her.

"Hey, _Zelda_ … wait up," he said, jogging over the bridge. "Hey, are you feeling better?"

His expression was so genuinely sincere Zelda felt like crying again. She was _really_ going to have to get some chocolate. "I… I am, but I'm not," she said.

Link frowned and scuffed the ground with his toe, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "I'm sorry you're so sick," he said.

"Yeah," she replied lamely.

"But it's… it's not like when we got sick with that fever, is it?" he asked, sounding a little worried.

"No, no, it's nothing like that," she assured him.

Link nodded, still scuffing at the ground. He was wearing that shirt that was too small for him again. "You know, that shirt is too small for you," Zelda pointed out.

Link looked down, tugging on the bottom of it as though this would make it longer. "I know," he said.

"It's your favorite, though."

He smiled. It was a little lopsided. "Yeah. It's soft. It's all worn in. New shirts are always stiff. You have to break them in right."

"Same with shoes," Zelda noted.

"Yeah," he agreed, laughing a little. "Shoes are the same."

"Did you… I never asked," she started, stepping a little closer to him. "Did you get in trouble?"

Link shook his head. "No. Your father told my dad what happened and explained the fighting policy, but I didn't get in any trouble."

"Good, you shouldn't have," she said.

"I'm sorry you were grounded," he mumbled. "That… doesn't seem fair."

Zelda shrugged. "My father didn't want Groose's parents thinking I got special treatment," she explained, then she smirked a little. "He also really let him have it. I could hear him yelling from my room, and when Groose's parents came he told them if Groose ever said anything about my mother again he'd be thrown out of the Academy."

"Wow," Link said. "Hopefully that makes him shut his mouth."

"It will about me, but he'll still be after everyone else probably. Stupid bully," she mumbled. "Did your dad say anything about standing up to him?"

"My dad was glad I jumped in for you, but said he still didn't want me fighting," Link explained. "He says walking away from someone like that shows more maturity and self-control, which are important qualities for a Knight to have."

"But he's a Knight and sometimes he has to fight," Zelda pointed out.

"Skytails and Octorocks; not people," Link explained. "He said the only time he's ever thrown a punch was when Peatrice's dad got out of hand at a festival one year."

"When was that?" Zelda asked.

Link shrugged. "I think we were really little. Peatrice's mom had just died during the flu outbreak, and her dad was… upset," he grimaced. "Anyway, my dad said he threw _one_ punch, and it knocked him out, and that was the end of it. He apologized later, but maybe that's why Peatrice's dad doesn't like my dad," Link said thoughtfully.

"Everyone likes your dad," Zelda replied.

"I mean, they get along, but Peatrice's dad doesn't _like_ him. It's not like they hang out or speak often though," Link shrugged. He looked Zelda up and down then, appraising her for some reason. "How's your hand?"

"It still hurts," she admitted, flexing her fingers and examining the bruises on her knuckles.

"You need to learn how to throw a punch," he said.

"I did just fine," Zelda replied smugly. "I bloodied his lip."

"Yeah, but that doesn't take much," Link said. "You shouldn't have hurt your hand so bad; here's how you do it right," he explained, balling up his fists and holding them by his shoulders. He pushed one arm forward, twisting it a little as he did.

Zelda mimicked him, but Link shook his head. "Not _just_ with your arm, put your shoulder into it, and turn your fist, like this," he said, demonstrating again.

Zelda tried it, but dropped her hands a second later, smiling a little. "I'm not going to be getting into fights, Link. I'm a _girl_."

"Well, you punched _Groose_ ," he reminded her. "And you're in the Knight Academy. I don't care if you're a girl, you never know when you're going to need to defend yourself a little."

"I'm not going to be a Knight, Link," she smiled, laughing a little.

"I know that, you're going to be something better," he said, still standing in a defensive position with his fists raised.

"What's better than a Knight?" she asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "But you'll be something and maybe you'll need to throw a punch for real."

Zelda smiled, then looked at the ground. "I need to go, Link. I'm still grounded and… not feeling well. I kind of want to take a nap."

"Oh, yeah," he said, clearing his throat. "Yeah, you're still not feeling good. Get some rest."

"Do you want to go get some cider when I'm feeling better?" she asked as he started to walk away. He had his hand in his hair again and he paused mid-step, turning back around to look at her. "You can teach me how to throw a proper punch then."

He laughed, grinning crookedly at her. "Yeah, cider would be fun. Just come get me when you feel better."

"I promise," she replied.

Link smiled at this, and for some reason Zelda felt her heart beat a little quicker in her chest. He gave her a single nod, then turned around and jogged off back towards his house. Zelda turned and went back to the Academy, intending on doing nothing but taking another bath then asking Owlan about all the plants Larke had mentioned.

* * *

Thank you so much for the continued reviews! I appreciate very comment


	8. That Time Link Wanted a Kiss

**That Time Link Wanted a Kiss**

* * *

Link was sitting by the lake, dangling his feet in the cool water when Zelda swam over, hauling herself onto the ledge and sitting down next to him. "Link, this has gone on long enough," she said, wringing out her waterlogged hair before tossing it over her shoulder. "Why aren't you talking?"

"I… talk," he mumbled, avoiding her gaze a little.

"You speak in two-word sentences and barely above a whisper," Zelda muttered. "That's not talking."

Link frowned. He knew she was right, but he had his reasons. Right at the end of last year he'd been sparring with his dad, talking about how life in the dorms was going now that Link was living there, and his voice had broken in the middle of a sentence. He thought maybe he'd lucked out and that would be the end of it, but over the next few months he'd gone from sounding like a boy to sounding like a squawking nestling.

"Come on, Link," Zelda pressed. "You even got yourself in trouble last year for not participating in class. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's… wrong."

"Then why aren't you talking?" she continued, sliding closer to him. Link's stomach dropped, though it had less to do with her line of questioning and more to do with how close she was to him. Zelda had always been touchy and affectionate, and it had never bothered Link. It still didn't _bother_ him, necessarily, but it added fuel to the all too frequent dreams she had come to star in as of late.

As if the cracking and squeaking in his voice wasn't been bad enough.

"Link, I _miss_ you," she sighed, wet hair cooling his shoulder when she leaned into him.

"I'm right here," he replied, laughing a little.

"It's not _you_ though," she mumbled. "We always talk. Even when you had your stutter you talked to me. Please tell me what's wrong."

She had her chin on his shoulder now and when Link looked down, her eyes were wide, a little sad, and blue as the sky above them.

"Zelda, I promise, nothing is wrong," he assured her. "I just… don't have a lot to say, I guess. I even told Horwell that when he asked. I don't need you to worry about me, okay? I'm fine, if I had something to tell you-"

He froze then, because Zelda had sat up and taken his face in her hands. She was looking at him, a little awed, then she smiled and laughed.

"Link, you… you sound just like your dad," she said, tipping his chin up a little so she could examine him further.

Link swallowed, fighting the urge to turn into her hands so her fingers would slide into his hair. "He… said I sound like my uncle."

Zelda smiled a little sadly. "Is _that_ why you haven't been talking? Because your voice changed?"

"It… not _because_ it changed," Link replied, keeping his voice quiet. "If I think about what I'm going to say, it doesn't crack. I just...have to think a lot before I speak."

"Who cares if it cracks?" Zelda asked. "Groose's cracked all the time for months and-"

"Yeah, and everyone la- _aughed_ at him," Link stressed, his voice breaking on cue. He swallowed and stretched his neck, noting that Zelda, thankfully, did not smile or giggle. "It was bad for a while, so I just… stopped talking."

"No one would have made fun of you," Zelda assured him, shaking her head when Link scoffed. "They wouldn't. Everyone likes you, Link. It would have been like when you teased Pipit about it. It wouldn't have been mean."

"Yeah, well… I told him I was sorry because now I know what it's like," he replied.

"Come on, it's not _that_ bad."

" _It is_!" Link replied, louder than he intended, more dramatically than he intended. "You don't know. I sounded like a squawking nestling; it was _awful_." He looked at Zelda for a moment then turned away and frowned, thinking the worst thing to happen to her the last couple of years had been a few spots on her cheeks and the growth spurt she went through when they were thirteen. Link had just turned sixteen and he'd _finally_ caught up with Zelda, though he wasn't sure she realized it yet.

Zelda was making a face, a little sympathetic, but also annoyed. "If _squawking_ was the worst thing that happened to me, I'd be thankful," she muttered darkly.

"What happened to you?" he asked curiously.

" _Nothing_ ," she replied, sitting up taller and pushing her wet hair out of her face. Link was about to press a little bit more, because if something had happened to her he'd try to help, but then he thought back to that class they'd had and instantly regretted his words. Zelda shifted under his gaze, her cheeks as pink as the ribbons around the front of her hair.

Link didn't know what to say, whether he should apologize or just shut up about it. Thankfully, Zelda changed the subject by taking his face in her hands again. Link swallowed, mind a jumbled mess of anxious thoughts, his heart thumping hard against his ribs. She was really close to him, her fingers soft against his cheeks. Zelda smiled at him and tapped a finger against his nose, and Link randomly felt the urge to lean in. He _could_ lean in, she was that close after all. All he would have to do is tilt his head a little bit and she'd be right there, just like she was in all his dreams…

But the last time Link had done that, his nose had been in the way, so he smiled at her and pulled back, strangely disappointed when she dropped her hands into her lap.

"Well, either way, will you start talking now?" she asked. "I have missed you. I know you've been around and we've hung out, but I've missed _you_ , Link," she explained, leaning closer to him again. Then she smirked and gave him a playful little shove. "Besides, I like your voice. You should start singing louder during the festival prayers."

"I sing," he replied.

"I stood right next to you during the Solstice prayer and I _still_ couldn't hear you singing," she said.

"Maybe you couldn't hear me over Kina," Link suggested.

"Kina has a beautiful voice!"

"I know she does," Link said fairly. "But she sings very loud."

Zelda shrugged. "It's because she performs all the time, so she's has to sing loud."

Link nodded, looking over at Kina across the lagoon and thinking of all the times he'd seen her perform with Albertos and Corvus at the Lumpy Pumpkin. She was very good, and whenever he came in she smiled at him and gave him extra cider to take home. Kina has also taken to calling him " _Linky_ ", which Link found confusing, though Zelda snickered when she heard it.

"Hey, do you like the harness on my Loftwing?" she asked, changing the subject once again.

"The gold one?" Link asked, smiling when she nodded at him. "Yeah, I like it. It was your mom's wasn't it?"

Zelda nodded again. "Pipit was criticizing it the other day, saying I couldn't hold on properly and I might fall because of the plating. I've never fallen off Blue, _ever_. And if I did, he'd catch me," she said firmly. "Besides, I think it makes him look pretty."

Link grinned. "I can't say I'd want my Loftwing to look _pretty_ ," he teased, "But your harness is fine."

"Thank you for calling it a harness," Zelda chuckled.

"That's what it is."

"What is Pipit's deal anyway?" she asked. "You're friends with him, why does he hate me so much?"

"I don't think he… he doesn't _hate_ you," Link explained. "Pipit just likes to be right, and so do you so-"

"I do not-" she argued, jolting upright and giving him a funny look. "I don't always have to be _right_ ," she pouted.

"I didn't mean it like that," Link assured her. "You just… you both know what you want, and what you believe, so…he just," he paused, trying and failing to come up with a reason that Pipit seemed to argue with Zelda so much. "You know, to be honest, I don't know _why_ he fights with you."

Zelda frowned, considering this for a moment, then she sighed. "Well, it's hot out, I'm getting back in the water," she announced, jumping to her feet. Link followed her with his eyes, but quickly turned away so he wouldn't be caught staring. Zelda arched like a Remlit and stretched her arms over her head. "Are you getting in or are you just going to sit?"

"I'm… I'll get in," Link said, thinking maybe the water would provide some sort of a distraction from the images flashing through his head. Though, it hadn't helped much earlier; that was why he'd gotten out of the water in the first place.

Zelda smiled at him again then walked away, her hips swaying slightly. Was she doing it on purpose? Link groaned quietly, a strange but far too familiar tightness creeping into his stomach. He jumped off the shore and plunged himself under the water, squeezing his eyes shut to try and drown out the unbidden thoughts racing through his brain.

When Link came up, Pipit and Parrow swam over to where he was floating, the latter smirking about something. "What was Zelda talking to you about?"

" _Huh_?" Link asked, confused and a little defensive. "Nothing."

"She looked like she was going to kiss you," Pipit said, sounding annoyed by this.

"She already did, remember?" Parrow said, still smirking.

"How'd you know about that?" Link asked.

"Karane told me," he explained. "Though she said it was just a peck."

"It was. And we were _eleven_ ," Link stressed.

Parrow shook his head. "You should just kiss her and get it over with," he suggested. Watching Zelda as she walked along the shore of the lake, he added. "It's not like she's bad looking."

Link frowned, his eyes also on Zelda now. She was talking to Karane, both of them wearing a swimsuit split into two pieces instead of one. Link found himself fixating on Zelda's stomach, and he sank down in the water again, willing himself to think about anything else. Parrow and Pipit, however, weren't so keen to switch topics.

"Skinny little Zelda isn't so skinny anymore," Parrow noted. "She's got hips now. And legs…"

"She always had legs," Pipit said. "The hips are nice... she's got perfect breasts, too."

Link choked, abruptly jumping from under the water and wiping his face with his hands. Parrow laughed while Pipit just gave Link a confused look.

"You hang around her all the time," he said, eyes incredulous as he gestured vaguely towards Zelda. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed?"

Link just shook his head, incapable of speech. He had noticed, he'd noticed a while ago, about the time she started showing up in his dreams. But Link had done everything he could to avoid thinking about it. He'd thought about his Loftwing, sparring practice, pumpkin cider, the flags around the plaza, the old children's book about the Knights of Skyloft he still had memorized. He thought about anything he could just to avoid thinking about the fact that Zelda had breasts, or hips, or soft hands and sweet smelling hair, or a body at all.

"She's smart, too," Pipit went on thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Link replied. That he could agree with and not have it give anything away. Parrow nodded, smirking a little as he swam off towards where all the girls were sitting. Pipit stayed, a pensive look on his face.

"So, about that peck," he mumbled at Link a moment later. "Was it nice?"

"I don't know," Link shrugged. "We were eleven."

"There's… not anything going on with you guys, is there?"

Link shook his head. There wasn't. He thought about Zelda a lot, but it disturbed him so much because she was his friend. His _best_ friend. She'd been his best friend since they were five, sometimes she sparred with him. She wasn't afraid to give him a push when he needed it, or tease him back, though she was always there when he needed something. Just like earlier; she didn't care about his squawking nestling voice, she still wanted him to talk.

Zelda never doubted Link, whether he was a stuttering five-year-old, an awkward page boy dancing with her, or a moody teenager. She believed in him no matter what.

But she was his _friend_ , not… anything else.

"There's nothing going on," Link muttered, his gaze fixed on Zelda. She was laughing now, eyes bright and a wide smile on her face while she watched Karane and Parrow wrestle around in the water.

"Right," Pipit said, nodding, fingers probing his chin thoughtfully. "So, we're pretty good friends, right, Link?"

Link nodded. "Yeah, we are."

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure," Link smiled.

Pipit took a deep breath, leaning in closer to where Link was floating. "Can you put a good word in for me? I'd like to ask her out."

"Who?"

Pipit laughed. "Zelda, obviously."

Link choked again, thinking he should probably quit dunking his head halfway under the water. "You want to ask _Zelda_ out?"

"Yeah," Pipit said. "I mean, you just said you two aren't a thing. You're just friends."

"We're just friends," Link mumbled, ignoring the burning in his chest. "She's just my friend."

"Great! Then you can say something good about me, right?"

"Um, sure, I guess," Link said. "She thinks you hate her."

" _What_?" Pipit yelped. "Why?"

"Because you fight with her all the time," Link explained. "You're always… criticizing her. Like with her Loftwing's harness-"

"It just looks unsafe," Pipit sputtered. "I worry she'll fall or-"

"It was her _mother's_ ," Link said pointedly.

Pipit swallowed. "I didn't… I didn't know that."

"You didn't ask," Link said. "But she doesn't like it when you boss her around."

Pipit frowned. "I'm not… _bossing_ her. I don't mean too. I'm just trying to help out," he explained, worrying at his lower lip with his fingers. "Does she really think I hate her?"

"She just asked me about it," Link admitted. "But that doesn't… I mean, go for it, I guess? You can… show her you don't?"

"Right… _right_ ," Pipit said. "I can do that." He scrunched up his nose, a little perplexed. "How do I do that?"

"I dunno. Be nice to her?" Link muttered, very irritated Pipit couldn't figure this out on his own. "You'd _better_ be nice to her."

Pipit gave Link a strange look, then laughed, which just made Link even more frustrated. "Yeah, okay, Link. Of course, I'll be nice to her."

"I mean it."

"So do I," he laughed. "Don't- _jeeze_ , Link. Are you _sure_ you don't like her?"

"She's my best friend, Pipit," Link said, certain that was the source of the burning in his chest. He was just worried about Zelda; that was it. "I just don't want you to mess around with her like you did Peatrice."

" _Hey_ ," Pipit said defensively. "Peatrice messed _me_ around. You know she ditched me because of my _freckles_?" he added, pointing to the faint speckles long his cheekbones. "Maybe you should kiss her because you don't have any _freckles_."

"I'm not going to kiss Peatrice."

"She's kinda _hot_ ," Pipit pressed, smirking at Link.

"Not to me."

"You should kiss someone, though. And soon," he said. "You'll be a man before you know it. And not like you kissed Zelda; that didn't count."

Link made a face, kicking onto his back and swimming towards the shore. "I gotta go. My… parents have some stuff for me, and they want to hang out before classes start up again."

"Right, yeah," Pipit said. "Just… put in a good word for me, all right?" he called as Link shook himself off and started to walk away. " _Link_?"

"I will," he called back, giving Pipit a wave over his shoulder. He would put in a good word about Pipit… _if_ Pipit came up when he talked to Zelda again.

* * *

"So, Link, is there anything you'd like to start the year off with?" his mother asked as they packed art supplies into a box for him to take back to the dorms.

Link shrugged, looking at the sketching pencils he'd been using all summer. They were almost down to the nub. "Some new pencils would be nice."

"I could get you charcoal, too," his mother suggested, watching him nod. The corners of her mouth lifted, and she said, "It's a little different than pencil, but I bet you'd like it."

Link nodded, taking a stack of white drawing paper and putting inside of the box. His father was leaning against the wall watching them, a small smile on his face.

"You're still rooming with Fledge, right?" he asked

Link nodded. "Pipit stays with us sometimes if he hangs out too late," he explained.

"I know a thing or two about that," his father laughed, grinning at his mother who was blushing. For some reason, his mother blushing made Link remember his earlier conversation with Pipit.

"Hey, Dad, you're… older than mom, right?"

"Only by a year," his father shrugged.

"Do girls like older guys?"

Link's parents exchanged a look, and his mother tipped her head curiously. "It's not older guys, necessarily," she explained. "It might be maturity. You like who you like, Link. A year or two doesn't make much difference."

Link nodded, thinking Pipit really wasn't more mature than he was. They were about the same, weren't they? Pipit was a little more focused than Link was, he had to admit, but that didn't mean Link was doing poorly. Most of the time when he messed around it was just with Zelda, and she liked to have fun just as much as he did. So maybe she wouldn't like Pipit for that reason.

"Why did you like dad?" Link asked his mother,

Link's father grinned and his mother blushed in earnest now. "I thought he was… very handsome, and he was always nice to me, to everyone really," she said tucking her hair behind her ear. "And he was witty, so he always made me laugh."

"I'm still witty," Link's dad said, giving his mom a quick kiss on the cheek which made her flush all the way through her ears. Link didn't know if he was witty, or handsome. He was sure he wasn't bad looking. Everyone said he looked exactly like his mom, and his mom was very pretty. Maybe he… maybe he was _pretty_ , and not handsome. Would that be a problem? Link ran a hand through his hair, wondering if he was _pretty_ and girls didn't-

"Link?" His father said then, smirking. "Is there a girl you-"

"No, I was just thinking," Link interrupted, continuing to place art supplies that he had strewn around on the desk inside the box.

His father bit back a laugh, and Link felt his ears get hot. He tried to avoid looking at his parents, but his mother stepped in a little closer to him.

"Link, sweetie," she began, "if there is a girl you like, you should just _tell_ her."

"There's not."

"Is there a girl that likes you?" His father asked, still grinning.

Link shrugged. "Not that I know of," he started, then he gave it some more thought. "But, if there was… what would I… what should I do?"

"If you liked her back, you could start dating," he suggested.

"Would I have to kiss her?"

"I wouldn't date someone if you didn't want to kiss them," Link's mother said matter-of-factly. "Liking someone means you want to… you have… _urges_ for them," she said, going red across her cheekbones again.

Link just nodded, busying himself over enthusiastically with his packing. Kissing made him nervous despite the number of dreams he had about it. He worried about his nose, and the shape of his lips (which Groose had recently informed him were too puffy), and whether he'd be any good at it. Everyone else talked about "good" kissers. Peatrice was apparently a good kisser, and according to Zelda she'd said the same thing about Pipit, _and_ Parrow. But then Zelda had added she didn't understand how they could be doing all this kissing anyway since there was nowhere private on the island.

"Is anyone you know dating?" His father asked.

Link shrugged. "Pipit went out with Peatrice a while back, I guess."

For some reason Link's mother laughed. "And, uh… how was that for Pipit?"

"He said she… she stopped dating him because of his freckles."

"That's-," his mother started, giving his father a confused look. His father just shrugged. "That's a little silly."

"You don't know Peatrice," Link mumbled.

"What does Zelda think of all this?" asked his father.

"I don't know," Link said fairly. "I haven't asked her."

"I saw her just the other day. She stopped in while I was at the Bazaar," his mother told him. "You two are still close, right?"

"Yeah, we're friends," Link said. "I just don't- we don't talk about this stuff. Zelda is…" he said, trailing off.

"A girl," his mother said.

"I know that."

"A pretty one at that," his father added.

"I _know_ ," he mumbled, randomly thinking back to Zelda's stomach. Specifically the little space on her waist that curved out into her hips, and how that curve kept going all the way down her legs...

And now Link was thinking about Zelda's hips and legs with his parents standing right beside him.

His stomach went a little tight, and Link accidentally on purpose dropped a few pieces of paper on the floor so he could bend down and pick them up, escaping their scrutinizing eyes for a second.

"But she's just your friend," said his mother, a little smirk on her face when Link stood back up.

"She's my _best_ friend, Mom," he stressed. "I don't… she's my best friend."

"Then, if another girl liked you, she'd be happy, wouldn't she?"

Link shrugged. "I… guess."

"And if another boy liked her, and she was happy, you'd be all right with that, wouldn't you?" his mom pressed, leaning forward slightly.

Link chewed his lip and nodded slowly, considering her words. Pipit was thinking about asking Zelda out, and if Zelda was _just_ his friend, that should make him happy.

Though the longer he thought about it, the idea of Zelda dating Pipit definitely did not make Link happy.

* * *

The first night in the Dormitories always involved some sort of activity. His first year there had been a horrible thunderstorm, so they'd ended up in the Sparring Hall playing a game where they had to take the hand of two different people across from them and untangle themselves somehow. It had taken a while, but it was fun, and Eagus commented to Link later that his parents ended up dating over such a thing.

"It was with ribbon instead of a human knot, but you should ask your mom about it sometime," he said, grinning. "The way she tells it is funny."

Zelda had been more interested in the story than Link had been, though he never knew if she'd asked his mother about it or not.

This year it was going to be different. Parrow had plans, though he wouldn't specifically say what. He only told Link that after dinner he should try to head to bed so all the girls would think they were asleep.

"They can go off and do their own thing," he'd told Link while leaning against the door of the room he shared with Fledge. "We can have a boy's night for once."

"I don't know," Fledge murmured. "Karane gets pretty upset when we try to do anything-"

" _I_ can handle _Karane_ ," Parrow said with a smirk. "Just do whatever you can to make them think you're turning in for the night. We'll come get you later."

Link nodded, not really caring what Parrow had planned because Link had plans of his own. He was going to get Zelda alone somehow, even if just for a few minutes, to talk to her about all the stuff he'd had going through his head the last few days.

But as soon as Link left his room, he realized this was going to be more difficult than he'd thought. When he found Zelda, she was standing in the kitchen with everyone else, discussing what they should do for food since they were on their own for the night.

"Girls, you cook," Pipit teased. "The rest of us will just kick back and enjoy the fruits of your labor." He'd sat down on a bench, leaning back with his hands behind his head and kicking both his feet onto the table top. This action earned him a swat on the head from Peatrice and a scowl from Zelda.

"What does your _mother_ think when you say this kind of stuff?" she grumbled while digging through the pots in Henya's cupboards. "Does she not expect you to help with the cleaning or anything?"

"I'm just teasing," Pipit explained. "I do _all_ the cleaning and cooking. My mother hates housework."

"Oh, well then," Kina mused. "Why don't _you_ show us your culinary expertise?"

"Why don't _you_?" Groose suggested, smirking at her. "We all like that pumpkin soup and-"

" _Oh no_ ," Kina said, shaking her head. "I'm not lifting a finger to help. I'm only here for three classes a week and because Zelda invited me to stay tonight. Besides, I _know_ how to cook and clean dishes; this lesson is wasted on me. I'll sit and learn how to be gracious and thankful."

"You could give us the recipe and we could do the work?" Orielle suggested.

"Now that I _can_ do," Kina grinned as she walked into the kitchen.

Kina provided the instructions, and the rest of them did the work preparing the meal. Link stuck close to Zelda as much as he could. They'd cooked together a few times and knew how the other moved around the kitchen. Plus, he really wanted to be close to her, hoping it would be quiet enough that he could talk to her, or at the very least ask if they could meet up later. But the kitchen was too crowded for private conversations, and Kina came over a lot to comment on what they were doing. He wondered if she, or anyone, was going to start asking if Link and Zelda were going out again. He also thought if they did start asking, Link wouldn't mind being able to say saying "Yes."

But that was him. He had no idea how Zelda felt, which is why he was trying to get her alone and talk to her a bit. But at the rate it was going, he wasn't going to be able to do it tonight, which meant it would be at least a day or two before-

"You're good at this stuff, Link," Kina said, interrupting his thoughts. He had been cutting up garlic and seasonings to put in the large soup pot and she was standing next to him, smiling now. Link smiled back, thinking that Kina always smelled a little like Pumpkin cider.

"Isn't he?" Zelda gushed. "He's good at everything, it's annoying actually. I think it took you just a couple of tries to figure out how to dice things, but it took your mother forever to teach me."

"Oh, your mom taught her?" Kina asked.

"Yeah," Link said, blushing over Zelda's praise. "But you caught on quick, too," he pointed out, wanting to return the compliment. "I don't cook often, but you have a kitchen, and I bet Henya-"

"Henya hates it when I try to cook with her," Zelda laughed. "She has _her_ way of doing things and does not want anyone to interfere with it."

Kina laughed. "My dad is like that," she mused, grinning at Link before walking over to help Groose with something.

When the soup was ready, they pushed chairs together so they could all sat down at one table. Link ended up between Zelda and Kina and across the table from Fledge. Fledge was actually talkative tonight, while Link stayed quiet for the most part, only talking when someone asked him a question. He was still trying to think of ways to get Zelda alone and talk about going out, or at least asking her if she'd ever thought about it. He didn't know how he was going to bring it up. The whole topic was kind of embarrassing and he had trouble talking about it without stuttering.

"It's weird you aren't in our class, Link," Pipit said thoughtfully. "You're so much older than everyone else."

"He's not that much older than I am," Zelda said. "I'll turn sixteen at the end of summer."

Pipit smiled and nodded at her while stirring his soup. Peatrice was next to him, her brown eyes flicking back and forth between Link and Zelda.

"So, wait a second," she said. "You are sixteen," she noted, pointing at Link before looking to Zelda, "and you're _going_ to be sixteen, and neither of you have been kissed for real?"

Link and Zelda looked at each other, Zelda going pink in the cheeks while Link was sure he was red all over. He turned back to his soup, diligently stirring it, wishing he could change seats. But getting up now would draw too much attention to himself, so he stayed put and focused on a knot in the table to keep from looking too long at Zelda with everyone watching.

"Well, aside from that time we – you remember, Link," Zelda said, elbowing him. "We were what, eleven?"

"Uh, yeah," he said. "Yeah. We'd, um… we'd seen Jakamar and Wyrna-"

"Making out and… I kind of roped him into kissing me," Zelda finished with a nervous chuckle. "It wasn't a big deal."

"Yeah, it wasn't," Link agreed, the fluttering he'd been feeling in his stomach coming to an abrupt halt.

"So, I'm right," Peatrice confirmed. "You're going to be sixteen and you've never been kissed."

Zelda shrugged. "I guess. Why does it matter?"

Parrow snickered and pointed his spoon at Link. "You two should just kiss to get it over with."

Zelda coughed, awkwardly pushing her hair back while Link wiped his face, trying to ignore the rushing blood in his ears and the look Pipit was giving him.

"We're just friends," Zelda said firmly. "That would be awkward for us both, right?"

Link cleared his throat, his stomach turning completely sour now. He kept stirring his soup, trying to cool it down, though he didn't feel like eating anymore.

"Yeah… we're just friends," he agreed. He must have said it too slowly, or didn't say firmly enough, because Zelda gave him a funny look. "I mean," Link continued, voice a little high pitched. "I've known you since I was _five_. I've known you forever…"

"Exactly," Zelda agreed. "We just don't see each other like that."

Link nodded, still stirring his soup with a little more force than necessary. Across the table, Pipit visibly relaxed, which made Link feel even worse. Zelda continued to blush, her eyes flicking from Link back to Peatrice, who looked rather amused by the whole interaction.

"Why are we talking about this anyway?" Zelda asked. "This is supposed to be a bonding night, not… dating gossip."

"She's right," Karane agreed, getting up from her seat to take her bowl to the sink. "And in the interest of bonding, I think the boys should wash and we'll dry," she added, watching everyone get up from their seats and move back into the kitchen area.

They cleaned up their mess, laughing and talking while they worked, though Link had fallen completely silent again. He felt queasy. The soup was not mixing well with the rock in his stomach. Though Zelda seemed to be the only one who noticed, and she shadowed him as he moved around the kitchen, a concerned look on her face. He had the urge to run away, wanting nothing more than to be alone for a while. Parrow had said they should turn in early, or at least tell the girls they were doing that for whatever he had planned, so that's the line Link fell back on when Zelda finally caught him by the arm just outside the kitchen.

"I'm... tired," he explained lamely. "And I need to get more sleep if I'm going to be on time for classes when we start."

"That would be good," Zelda said. "Being on time. But, are you sure-"

"I'm fine," he mumbled, giving her an awkward, tremulous smile. "I'll… see you around tomorrow."

Zelda nodded, giving Link a sad little smile when he shut the door to his room. He leaned against it for a few moments, kicking himself for feeling so upset, for ever thinking that Zelda would _want_ to go out with him. She was right, they were just friends. It would be too awkward to start something now. He didn't even know how to kiss properly. His nose would get in the way, or worse. Though Zelda's nose was a little longer than his, just like her ears were longer.

Link fisted his hands into his hair, cursing himself for paying that much attention to the shape of Zelda's ears, or her nose, not to mention other things about her. He threw himself down on the bed face first, making a sound he assumed only dying Loftwings made, and stayed like that until his pillow became too warm and hot from his breathing. Then he turned his head to the side, closed his eyes, and fell asleep, that being the only way to block out the sick feeling in his stomach.

Sometime later, the door to his room opened and Fledge came in. Link could feel him staring, so he made a vague gesture to indicate he was okay, then rolled onto his side and went back to sleep. Though not for long. A few minutes later, or at least it felt like just a few minutes, Pipit came in and tackled him, pulling him onto the floor.

" _Come on_ ," he said, grinning wickedly and hauling Link to his feet. "The girls are all asleep and we're going to have a _real_ Rush Night."

"Rush Night?" Link asked, watching Parrow shuffle Fledge out of the room into the hall where Groose, Cawlin, and Stritch were standing. Cawlin was yawning and looking bored.

"What are we doing?" he asked in his gravelly voice.

"Night swimming," Parrow said, snatching Fledge by the back of his shirt collar when he turned back to the dorm.

"Don't we need our suits?" he asked.

Pipit scoffed. "Not at night, and not when it's just us," he shrugged, still hauling Link towards the door. "Look alive, Link! You haven't been asleep _that_ long."

"What is Rush Night?" Link asked again.

"Don't you ever talk to your parents? Your dad should have told you all about it," Parrow scoffed. "We didn't have a real one last year because it was pouring rain, but it's tradition for the boys. Night swimming, and it's a perfect night for it."

Link shrugged, not entirely sure what Parrow was talking about, but he followed anyway. _At least this will be a distraction_ , he thought. It wouldn't be the first time Link had gone swimming without a suit. He'd jumped in one afternoon when it was just him and the other boys, but they'd all stayed really low in the water since it had been during the day. Night would be different, a little more freeing perhaps.

Everyone started to run, and Link followed them, feeling a welcome lift in his chest. The moon was half full, the stars were bright, and there was no one out by the bazaar, or indeed anywhere. Even the Night Patrol Knights were flying lazily around the edge, not really paying attention to what was going on in the middle of the island. It was reckless but exciting. They had the whole island to themselves and wasted no time stripping down and jumping into the water.

"Do you think the girls have some sort of tradition?" Pipit asked after they'd been swimming a while. He was staring down one of the two roads that led to the pond, almost as if he was watching for someone.

"Probably pillow fights in their underwear," Groose said with a laugh. "I still can't believe all these girls are in Knight school."

"Better not let Karane hear you say that," Cawlin muttered. "She'll flatten you."

" _Pshhh_ ," Groose laughed. "I'd charm her down. I see her watching me. It won't be long now before we're together."

Parrow looked skeptically at him, then laughed. "You can't even _talk_ to her; don't act like you're seconds away from a hook up when you can't even talk to her. Making fun of her or bullying everyone doesn't count."

Groose frowned. "Like you have a chance."

"Oh, I have more than a chance," Parrow grinned, ignoring the glare Groose threw at him.

"Half the girls aren't going to be Knights," Pipit said fairly. "Peatrice isn't, she's just here because her dad is making her. Kina only takes the core classes, and Orielle is probably just taking the community based classes isn't she?"

"I dunno," Parrow shrugged. "She's in all our sparring sessions."

"Zelda is too, but she's not going to be a Knight," Pipit said then.

"She might," Link mumbled. It had been a while since he'd talked to Zelda about what she wanted to do, so she could have changed her mind about being a Knight.

Pipit shook his head. "Nah, I can't see her doing that."

"Have you asked her what _she_ thinks?" Link argued, the burning sensation he'd felt earlier returning to his chest.

"Well, no. But, I mean- she's gonna be a teacher or a Congress leader, isn't she? That's what her dad's grooming her for. She's not going to be a _Knight_."

"She can handle a sword," Link muttered. "And throw a punch, _and_ shoot a bow."

"I know all that," said Pipit, his cheeks a little flushed as he smiled. "I still can't believe your dad taught her to shoot like that."

Link opened his mouth to reply, but someone else beat him too it.

"He didn't teach me to shoot that way. That's just what felt good."

All of the boys dropped down in the water at the same time, staring in horror at the shore where five shadows were lurking. Link's face, neck, ears, chest… his whole body became uncomfortably hot and he slunk behind one of the stones people jumped across and to try and hide himself. The girls walked a little closer to the pond, Zelda, Kina, and Orielle looking curious while Peatrice looked bored and Karane looked annoyed.

"What are you all doing?" Karane asked.

Stritch and Fledge were both swimming hard for the dark part of the water, while Pipit mimicked Link and swam behind one of the jumping stones. Groose and Parrow just stood like normal, seemingly unashamed that they were naked, or perhaps they were just trying to pretend everything was fine to not draw suspicion.

"Traditions," Parrow said simply. "I'm sure you guys have your own in place."

"Not really," Karane muttered. "Swimming is something that we could have all done together. Why leave us out?"

"We just thought… guy time, you know?" Pipit said lamely.

Peatrice scoffed a little. "'Guy time.' _See_?" she said to Orielle. "Now I feel less guilty about what we did to their hall."

"Our hall- what did you _do_?" Cawlin demanded. "We didn't prank you guys! What'd you do to us?"

"Nothing you can't work your way around," Orielle shrugged. "Staying dry might be a challenge but seeing as how you are all wet anyway…"

"Why don't _we_ go swimming?" Zelda asked. "Night swimming sounds fun. You should have told-"

"This is our tradition, you can't just _take_ it," Groose muttered.

"I'm not trying to _take it_. I'm trying to see if we can join?" she suggested,walking closer to the water. "There's no reason-"

" _NO_!" Link and Pipit yelped at the same time. They both looked at each other, Pipit confused, and Link red in the face.

"Go get your own tradition!" Stritch yelled from across the pond. "Quit infringing on our stuff!"

"We're not infringing on anything," Orielle shouted back. "And 'infringing' is a pretty big word for someone who barely speaks."

"I thought we agreed not to make fun of each other," Parrow scolded.

"And I _thought_ we agreed that Rush Night was for everyone?" Orielle shot back.

"Why are you being so secretive about this?" Zelda demanded. "It'd be fun to swim at night, we all swim together every other-"

"I've had enough bonding for one night," Parrow muttered.

"Yet, here you are," sneered Karane. "Bonding with the boys. You know, you guys aren't just going to be brothers when you're Knights. You'll have sisters too and-

Groose made a noise, though Link thought he sounded angry, a little scared even. "No, you just _think_ you're going to be Knights and-"

" _What_ did you say?" Karane growled, pushing past Zelda and walking right to the edge of the pond. Groose slunk a little lower in the water, though his expression remained indignant.

"I said… you… you think…" he stammered, shrinking even more under Karane's enraged glare.

" _You-you-you_ can't even _talk_ straight," she snapped. "How are you supposed to be a Knight when you can't even-"

"He means we have to train together all the time and have classes together, it's good to have bonding stuff for just… us guys," Parrow tried. "You girls should do something together-"

"That's not what he meant, and you _know_ it," Karane snapped. "If we're all going to _work_ together we-"

Groose rose up a little bit. "How are we going to work with you when you'll be as strong or as fast or as-"

"Karane could flatten _you_!" Zelda shouted. "I've seen it! You weren't so tough a few years back when I slapped you. I bet anything I could out shoot all of you. How many of you even handled a bow before school started? I know Link did, but-"

A high pitched peel of laughter cut her off. Link followed it to its source. Kina, who'd been lingering behind everyone until now, jumped a little at the sound, then ran over to the tree where Peatrice and Orielle were standing. She leaned over Orielle, who was cackling as Peatrice gathered a pile of clothing into her arms.

"Oh, _Fuck_ ," Link muttered under his breath, using his dad's favorite curse word and causing Pipit to laugh loudly.

"Did you just _curse_?" he grinned. "You just swore. I've never heard you swear before, Link, why are you – _Hey, Link!_ "

But Link was already swimming for the shore in front of the tree. Zelda and Karane made it to the same area just as Link had started to pull himself up out of the pond. Though he froze halfway up when he heard Zelda shriek and Karane start laughing.

Zelda pointed first at Link, then towards the general direction of everyone in the water. " _ARE YOU_ -"

" _They're all naked_!" Peatrice cackled, triumphantly holding up the shirt Parrow had been wearing. " _All_ of them! That's an interesting tradition you have, boys," she snickered. "Hey, _Groose_! What was that about us not being as _fast_ as you?"

" _Leave our clothes_!" Parrow shouted, making a dive for the shore. Cawlin yelped and Groose made a strangled noise of shock. Link tried to haul himself onto the shore again, but Karane was too fast and pushed him back in the water. He landed right on Pipit, who had also begun trying to climb out of the pond.

"Oh, _sure_. We'll leave your clothes," Zelda laughed, snatching up someone's shirt and pants in her outstretched hands. "We'll leave them right over the edge of the island."

"You've had your fun," Parrow grumbled, almost to the shore line. "Now-"

"Eew _,_ I don't want my brother's clothes!" Orielle shrieked as she tossed a pair of pants and a shirt to Karane. Karane tossed something back to Orielle, then Link saw her throw _his_ pants and shirt into Kina's outstretched arms.

"Let's see who's fast _now_ ," Karane snickered before darting off. Kina followed her up the path towards the Bazaar while Zelda, Peatrice, and Orielle took off in the opposite direction.

Link clambered onto the shore, awkwardly hiding behind his hands as he tried to decide the best route to take in chasing after Kina and Karane.

"You _had_ to taunt them, didn't you?" Parrow snarled at Groose, uncharacteristically angry. When Groose protested, Parrow shoved him under the water. "You're never going to get anyone to go out with you if you mock-"

"They stole our clothes!" Groose sputtered, coming to the surface and pushing his red hair out of his eyes. " _Get them_!" he shouted, crouched awkwardly while he gestured to Cawlin and Stritch. Cawlin was frozen, and Stritch just gaped in shock at the girls running away.

"Don't just stand-"

"Get after them yourself," Parrow said, hauling himself onto the shore. "I'm going after my own clothes, you're on your own."

Link had to agree, he couldn't care less about anyone else right now. He could run back to the dorms, but that's where Karane and Kina were headed, so he'd run into them anyway. They had his favorite shirt, one Zelda had made for him last year to replace the other he'd grown out of. He had to get it back. Link had taken a few awkward steps forward when he heard someone laughing hysterically behind him.

"Hey _,_ Night Rider," Jakamar said, and Link whirled around to see him standing in the doorway of his house with a sleepy looking Kukiel in his arms. "I'm gonna change your nickname to Night Runner," he added, laughing so hard there were tear tracks on his face. He tossed Link a pair of tattered baggy shorts and gave him a wink.

" _Thanks_!" Link shouted, slipping them on before bolting in the direction he'd seen Kina and Karane run. Groose and the others started shouting at Jakamar, who Link could still hear laughing as he jumped the brick wall and climbed onto the wooden planks under the Bazaar. The shorts were way too big on Link, but at least they covered everything important.

Karane was giggling above him and Kina was hissing something, then Link saw them bolt past the gate that led to the Academy. He started forward, but someone grabbed his arm and held him back.

"We can cut them off if you go over the edge," Parrow whispered. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, though it didn't cover him very well. " _Go_!"

Link launched himself onto the staircase, then scrambled over the railing just as Kina and Karane were reaching the top steps. The girls shrieked when they saw Link running alongside them, then screamed when he vaulted himself off the railing of the Academy bridge and landed right in front of them. By then, Parrow had made it around the steps so he was in back by the gate, blocking their escape. He had given up on trying to tie the towel around his waist and was now holding it up just enough to shield himself.

"Hylia, _curse_ it, you two are fast," laughed Karane. "I wouldn't start wearing that regularly, Parrow. It doesn't do anything for your figure."

"Give us our clothes!" Link demanded, frustrated when the girls just giggled at him. He lunged at Karane, but she side stepped him and pulled Kina out of the way, pushing Link into Parrow. "Knock it off, give them _back_ ," Link shouted.

Kina elbowed Karane and whispered something that made her smirk at Link. His cheeks grew very hot, and he pulled the shorts more securely around his waist. Parrow just shifted his towel and sighed heavily.

"Give us our clothes back," he said slowly. "We can outrun you. We've sparred enough for you to know I'm not afraid to tackle you. I don't care if I'm naked."

Karane started laughing while Kina just smirked. "Looks like you've got some clothes already," she said, gesturing to the shorts hanging off Link's hips. She was smiling mischievously, her eyes looking him up and down and making him feel a little strange all over. "Why do you need these?" she teased, holding up their clothes.

"Just… give them back, Kina, _please_?" Link pleaded, reaching forward. He was irritated, and cold, and why was she _staring_ at him like that?

"Fine," she groaned, tossing him a pair of pants and shirt. Karane tossed Parrow's shirt at him and he quickly pulled it on, though he kept hold of his towel since Karane kept his pants. Link examined the clothing and frowned.

" _My clothes_ ," he said tersely. "These are Fledge's."

Karane made to toss something to Link, but Kina held up a hand. "Now, hang on," she said. "I seem to remember doing you a _huge_ favor one time, Link. You owe me."

"I don't owe you my _clothes_ ," He grumbled. "I paid you for the cider."

"But I didn't _tell_ on you," she reminded him.

"Everyone… found out anyway," he shrugged. "What does it-"

"I said you were gonna owe me, Link, and I _meant_ it," Kina replied firmly, taking a few steps closer to him. Very close to him, so close he could smell pumpkin cider or whatever it was she wore as perfume. Link was shivering violently now and took a few steps back, but Parrow put a hand on his back and shoved him forward.

"Fine, I owe you," Link said, glaring at Parrow over his shoulder. "What do you want?"

Kina pursed her lips, considering him. "I'll give you the rest of your clothes," she murmured, smirking still and stepping closer to him. " _If_ …"

"If _what_?"

"If you kiss me."

" _Wh_ - _What_?" Link blurted, completely bewildered.

"Nice," Parrow murmured from behind him. Karane was watching with an interested expression.. Parrow shoved him again and Link stumbled, almost crashing into Kina, but he managed to catch himself.

"You heard me," Kina said, biting her lower lip.

Link swallowed. "Why- why- wh-why do y-you w-want-"

"Kina, I think you _broke_ him," Karane snickered.

Link scowled at her then took a deep breath. "Why do you… you want me to…" he couldn't say it. Why couldn't he say it? "Just... _why_?"

"I think you're cute," Kina smiled. "You're _really_ cute now when you're stuttering and shaking like this."

"I-I'm cold," Link said.

" _A_ ww," she simpered, pouting a little. "I'd _love_ to give you your clothes back. Come on, then," she purred, stepping even closer.

Link wondered if he was ever going to have a normal kiss. This was not normal. This was awkward. He was cold, and half naked, and Parrow kept _pushing_ him. He pushed him _hard_ this time and Link actually _did_ bump into Kina. He tried to right himself, apologizing under his breath and moving to step back…

But she stepped closer again, putting a hand against his shoulder, her touch pushing warmth across his skin. Kina smiled and passed Link his clothes so she could put both her hands on his shoulders. He had the momentary urge to flee, since he had what he wanted after all…

Then Kina's hand slid along his jaw, fingers tracing the edges of his ears, stopping on his earrings. Link _shuddered_ , his stomach flipping. His heart began pounding a frantic drumbeat in his chest. Kina's eyes were big, and bright, and Link couldn't stop staring at her _mouth_. Gooseprickles burst out along his arms where she touched him, though they had nothing to do with feeling cold. She was even closer now. Link could see streaks of brown in her dark black hair and the heat of her was making him feel a little warmer. It struck him then how pretty Kina was, how pretty she'd always been, he'd just never… noticed before.

"I like you, Link," she said very quietly. Karane giggled behind her.

"Okay…"

"I'm going to kiss you now."

Link swallowed and nodded. "Okay."

She had to stretch up a little to reach him, but the movement made Link feel strangely confident. He tilted his head when he leaned in, very conscious of his nose. His hands were awkward in front of his stomach, squeezing his clothes tightly. Kina had one hand on his collarbone while her other fingers lingered at his jaw, cupping it softly so she could pull him down.

Kina kissed him softly, and Link shivered all over. She pulled away for a moment and pressed her lips together, then smoothed her thumb long his cheekbone and stretched up to kiss him again. Her lips were softer this time, pliant almost. Link opened his mouth a little, just enough that she responded and tipped her head a bit more so they fit together easier. He was very aware of how _naked_ he was and the fact that he never put his hands on her… not once.

Kina giggled then leaned back. She smiled at him, and Link swallowed, offering an awkward smile back. He pressed his lips together while Kina looked over her shoulder at Karane.

"That was longer than five seconds," Karane mused, looking beyond Link to Parrow, who nodded in agreement. " _Well_?" she asked expectantly.

Kina giggled and turned back to Link. "They're nice," she said, touching Link's lips with her index and middle finger.

He kissed them out of instinct, and Kina leaned forward again, kissing him harder this time. Link released his clothes a little so he could put a hand on her waist, suddenly eager to touch her. He opened his mouth again when she did, tilting his head and taking a shuddering step closer, his hand sliding around to her back. Kina giggled into the kiss and looped her arms tight around Link's neck, rising up onto the balls of her feet and kissing him a little deeper. Link's hand tightened in her shirt, head spinning…

"Hey, we should go," Karane said, interrupting them. "I can hear Zelda and Pipit shouting at each other."

Kina pulled back, sighing a little bit and smiling when Link continued to lean in. "Right," she murmured, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her hands slid into his hair and Link pressed his forehead against hers almost involuntarily.

"I need to go."

"Okay," Link nodded, his hand still around her back. He pressed his lips together, relishing any warmth Kina had left on them. She smiled, her eyes wide when she looked up at him.

"Find me tomorrow?"

Link nodded. "Okay," he said again.

"That _is_ the word of the hour," Karane laughed, rolling her eyes and tugging on Kina's elbow. "Come on. From the sounds of it, Zelda really _did_ throw their clothes over the edge," she added, snickering a little

Kina nodded, smiling at Link while Karane tugged her in the opposite direction. She waved over her shoulder and Link smiled back, sure he looked a complete idiot. He pulled on his shirt and ruffled his hair before finally turning to look at Parrow.

" _Well done_!" he said again, clapping Link on the shoulder. "We'd better go back up. I couldn't care less if Groose got pushed over the edge, but I'd miss Pipit. And Fledge is stuck in the water still, I bet."

"Right," Link said, thinking all he wanted to do was go hang out with Kina now. "Of course."


	9. That Time Pipit Saved Zelda

That Time Pipit Saved Zelda

* * *

"So, you just… told him to kiss you, and he did?" Peatrice asked the question Zelda had been wanting to all morning.

Kina was smiling from her seat on the bench in front of Zelda and the other girls. She was pink in the cheeks, which irritated Zelda. Why was she blushing? Was she embarrassed? There was nothing embarrassing about kissing Link, and she certainly hadn't been embarrassed last night when she kissed Link while he was basically _naked_.

"Well, I reminded him he owed me from that time I got that cider for him when he was seven or whatever," Kina explained. "But he didn't protest. He leaned _in_."

" _After_ you kissed him," Karane pointed out. "Which is how it had to happen. Link is never going to make the first move with anyone, he's too much like his mom."

"What's wrong with Larke?" Zelda demanded, glaring at Karane.

"Nothing," Karane replied earnestly. "She's wonderful, but she's shy and my mom told me that she had a thing for Orel a _year_ before they started going out. Link is a lot like her, and he's just not one to make the first move."

"That's fine," Kina shrugged. "I don't mind. He's so sweet."

"He's a dork," Karane said.

"He's _cute_ ," Kina insisted. "It was cute."

"What was it like?" Orielle asked, leaning closer to Kina, eyes wide with interest. "Not going to lie, I've thought a _lot_ about what kissing Link would be like. He's got that sweet smile and those _lips_ …"

Zelda gave Orielle a shocked look, tired of feeling surprised by the number of people attracted to Link. There had been too many surprises, starting with the one Kina gave her when she bounded into Zelda and Karane's room and announced she'd kissed Link. She'd said it so loud Zelda swore his parents probably heard it clear across the island.

The emotion confused Zelda, because she shouldn't feel surprised, or at least not _this_ surprised. She'd had known for a while that Kina had a crush on Link. She'd been pretty obvious about it, calling him " _Linky_ " and bringing him extra cider whenever they were at the Lumpy Pumpkin. It was a bit unfair. The pumpkin cider gave Kina a big advantage over… anyone else who might be interested in Link.

"He's got great eyes, too, and those _eyelashes_ ," Peatrice swooned, interrupting Zelda's thoughts. "It's rather unfair. He's almost prettier than some of us."

"I'm don't know how Link would feel about being called _pretty_ ," Zelda grumbled, though she agreed to an extent. He wasn't bad to look at, that was certain, but she'd never been able to settle on a word to describe him. Probably because she'd been looking at his face since they were five years old and she was just… used to it by now. It was familiar, it didn't _surprise_ her.

"That's good to know," Kina said, turning around and leaning over the table between her and Zelda. "What does he like, Zelda? Besides pumpkin cider," she laughed. "I've known Link a long time, but you've been his friend for _years_. What can I do to-"

Orielle coughed dramatically, causing Kina to stop talking and Zelda to look up. Pipit had just come in the classroom, Fledge and Link behind him. Zelda realized Link was _on time_ to class. Not early by any means, but he was on time. He'd also taken some thought into his clothing, wearing a green tunic (he always looked good in green) and a light blue obi around his waist. His hair had been combed so it laid nicely around his ears and forehead. Zelda preferred it messier.

Though it wasn't like _her_ opinion mattered. Maybe at one point it had, but not anymore. Right now, Link had eyes for only one girl in the room. They settled on Kina and his ears turned a dark shade of red.

"H-Hi," he stammered, ruffling the back of his hair.

"Hey," Kina grinned, sliding over to emphasize the empty space beside her. It was then Zelda realized Pipit had come and taken Link's usual seat next to her, and everyone else had strategically positioned themselves so Link would have nowhere else to sit except next to Kina.

Link swallowed, still messing with his hair as he sat down. He looked stiff, perhaps even uncomfortable, though he smiled when Kina slid closer. Horwell came in to start the lecture, and Zelda pulled her knees all the way up to her chest, hiding her face behind her arms so she could keep an eye on Link without being too obvious. She was… worried. Link had always been mortified by kissing talk, so it wasn't like him to kiss someone so impulsively. And he'd never mentioned anything about liking Kina – or anyone – to _her_. Surely if he liked Kina, Link would have let on somehow. They did go to the Lumpy Pumpkin a lot, but that was because of the cider and, really, where else was there to go on this _blasted_ island?

The lesson seemed to drag on forever. All Zelda wanted to do was catch Link so she could talk to him, just to make sure he was okay. He was fidgety and nervous all through the lesson, messing with his hair, doodling randomly on his paper, grinning awkwardly every time Kina looked at him. Part of Zelda wondered if maybe he'd kissed Kina just to get his clothes back, or just to be nice. That seemed like something he might do, like when he danced with every girl in the village at Jakamar and Wyrna's wedding. Perhaps Link thought it rude to turn Kina down, or he was afraid she'd throw his favorite shirt over the edge like Zelda had done with Pipit's clothing.

Come to think of it, she should apologize for that.

When Horwell finally finished the lecture, Zelda looked over to Pipit. "Hey, wait," she said, catching him by the arm when he moved to stand up. Pipit looked a bit startled she was talking to him. "I shouldn't have thrown your clothes over the edge. That was unnecessary, I'm sorry."

" _Oh_ ," he said. "I'm not-"

"Anyway," Zelda interrupted, thoughts shifting rapidly as Link got up from his seat and Kina motioned for him to follow her. Zelda began to pack her things up very quickly, wanting to catch him before he got too far away from the Academy. "I'm sorry. I can make you a new-"

"You should be," Pipit said.

"-shirt if you… _what_?" Zelda asked, confused by his tone.

"You should be sorry. Those were good shorts, and I liked that shirt. Now I'll never see it again."

Zelda winced. "Pipit, I said I was sorry. You didn't… anyway, I _am_ sorry and I'll make you a new-"

"Zelda, I'm teasing," he laughed. "It was just a dingy old night shirt that didn't even fit me right. Don't worry about it."

"Oh," she muttered, even more confused now. "Right… well. I need to run so-"

"You know, this class is pretty tricky," he interjected. "Did you take level one? If you need help, I'd be glad to lend you my notes or anything. We could study together."

"I… sure, that's great," Zelda agreed, desperate to get out of the conversation. "I'll get them later, but I have to go now," she explained, jumping to her feet and racing towards the door. There were people queueing up in front of it, blocking the exit, and Link was long gone now. She'd have to try and find him somewhere on the island.

"Yeah, just let me know," Pipit called. "We could fly over to the Lumpy Pumpkin, just for different scenery."

"Sure, that'll work," Zelda replied, wondering why everyone was obsessed with the _stupid_ Lumpy Pumpkin. It didn't matter right now, she had to find Link and talk to him, find out what was _really_ going on. If anything, she could give him some advice if he needed it. Though, Link was always good at figuring out what to do, and maybe… maybe he didn't want her advice. Maybe that's why he hadn't-

"Hey, Zelda."

Zelda skidded to a halt just past the windmill, surprised to see Orel leaning casually against it with Grey standing beside him. "Oh… hi…" she mumbled.

"So, how long has _that_ been going on?" he asked, nodding toward the Plaza platform, amusement writ in his voice. Zelda followed his gaze.

Link was standing with Kina, lurking in the shadows under the Light Tower. She had a hand threaded into his hair, another on his chest, and Link had his arms wrapped tight around her waist, holding her very close. Their heads were tilted, mouths pressed together, and Zelda could tell Link was not kissing her just to be nice.

"That's Kina, right? Pumm's daughter?"

"Um… yeah," mumbled Zelda, her ears feeling hot. Kina pulled back for a moment, giggling at the punch-drunk look on Link's face. She kissed him on the jaw, and Link gripped her tighter before leaning forward and whispering something against her cheek. Kina nodded, smiling before leaning in to kiss him again. Zelda watched Link's hands slip lower on her waist while hers tightened in his hair...

"It looks like it's been going on a while," Orel chuckled.

"Oh, no, actually," Zelda said, grimacing when her stomach turned sour. "Last night they… well, she kissed him and Link… I guess he kissed her back. Obviously he kissed her back…"

"Last _night_? The way he's kissing her I assumed it had been going on a while and he'd just neglected to tell us. Link's always been real embarrassed when we asked him about that stuff."

"Yeah, I know."

Orel looked at her then, eyebrows arched curiously. "You okay?"

" _Me_?" Zelda bleated. "I'm _fine_. Of course, I'm fine- why wouldn't I be fine? They're cute. Look how… _cute_ they are." She gestured vaguely towards where Link and Kina were.

"Cute is one way to put it," Orel mused. "Is that the first girl Link has kissed?"

"Besides me? Yeah," Zelda replied.

"So you two _have_ kissed…"

"We were eleven."

"Beyond that?"

Zelda shook her head, eyes focusing back to the shadows under the Light Tower. Link and Kina weren't kissing anymore, but Link still had his arms around her waist and she had her arms around his neck. Orel was still watching Zelda, lips pursed slightly.

He gazed back towards his son and this random girl he was making out with. "Well, he must not be terrible, because she's sticking around…"

"Link's a fast learner," Zelda said, a nervous laugh escaping her.

"Let's hope not _too_ fast," Orel grimaced. Zelda must have made the same face, because Orel frowned and stepped closer to her. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yup, I'm _fine_ ," Zelda muttered, watching Link smile at Kina. "He looks… happy, so that's good. It's good that he's happy. I _want_ him to be happy."

Orel nodded, lips still pursed at her. "You know, Larke dated Peater for a while."

Zelda's brain did a somersault. "She… _what_?"

"She dated Peater for a while."

"'Peater,'" Zelda repeated. "As in Peatrice's father? _That_ Peater?"

"The same," Orel laughed. "It was a few months before I won the Wing Ceremony. Larke played the Goddess and Peater told me before the race if I tried anything on the statue with her I'd have to answer to _him_."

"So, what happened?" asked Zelda.

Orel grinned mischievously. "I told her she looked beautiful, then I kissed her hand and told her I wanted her. _Then_ , I jumped backwards off the statue trying to be dramatic."

Zelda gave Orel a disapproving look. "But… she was dating someone else."

He just shrugged, completely unabashed. "They didn't belong together, everyone could see that. Your _mom_ saw that." Orel was laughing now.

"My mom?"

"She was the one who told me Larke had a crush on me right before the race started," Orel explained. "She goaded me into it. A few days later, Larke broke up with Peater and we ended up making out, right on this bench, actually," he noted, smiling at the wooden bench behind Zelda.

Zelda fought back a smile. She wondered if Link's parents ever told him these stories. It felt like they reserved them just for her sometimes.

"'Course, If she'd been _happy_ with Peater, I would have let her be," Orel said thoughtfully a moment later. "It was a bit much of me to lay it at her feet the way I did, to just blurt out that I liked her, she even said that. But… I suspected she was unhappy, otherwise I would have never said anything."

Zelda chewed her lip, looking back to where Link was still standing with Kina. His arms were not so tight around her waist now, but they were still close. Link's forehead was set against Kina's and he was smiling, listening to her prattle on about something. Link had always been a good listener. Zelda hoped Kina appreciated that.

She took a deep breath, suddenly desperate to be anywhere else. Some place where the sky was normal and Link wasn't smiling and happy after kissing Kina.

"I should be off," Zelda said, scuffing the ground with her shoe and giving Orel an awkward smile. "Eagus has been hounding me to show him how I shoot because everyone says I do it weird."

"Ignore them," Orel said firmly. "If it didn't work for you, I would have fixed it ages ago. And Eagus still watches his shots, so he can't talk much."

Zelda smirked. "I'm going to tell him you said that."

"You do that," Orel laughed, giving Zelda another mischievous grin. He climbed onto Grey's back, pulling his mask over his eyes before turning back to her. "Don't be a stranger, Little Zelda," he called, nodding back to her as Grey launched into the sky.

Zelda watched him go, thinking she didn't mind that Orel still called her Little Zelda long after everyone else had stopped. She looked back to the Light Tower for a moment, watching Link grin before Kina leaned up to kiss him again. Her stomach dropped uncomfortably, and there was a burning sensation in her chest so intense that Zelda pressed her hand against it before she started walking back to the dorms. She wanted to be alone, but when she got back to her room she knew that wasn't going to be a possibility.

When Karane had moved into the dorms, she and Zelda had been placed together to both their delights. They'd always gotten along well, and Zelda could talk with Karane about things that she couldn't with Link. They were close, and had only gotten closer over the last year or so. Though Zelda wasn't the only one Karane was getting close too…

She pushed open the door to their room and froze. Karane and Parrow were sitting on the former's bed, trying to give Kina and Link a run for their rupees with how intense they were kissing. They broke apart for a moment, Karane's hands wrapped around Parrow's neck and his awkwardly on her hips.

"Oh… hey, Zelda," she said sheepishly. Zelda rolled her eyes and closed the door, wondering if there was anywhere she could go on the island where someone wasn't making out.

After some wandering about, it turned out that there was. The Isle of the Goddess was completely, blissfully, empty.

Zelda stood on the stone dais, staring up at the giant stone figure and its disturbingly blank face, thinking it was probably a poor rendition of what Hylia looked like… if Hylia ever existed in the first place.

 _What do you think about all this?_ She asked the statue. _Did your Chosen Hero ever kiss someone else? Did he do it in front of you? Did you want to… smite her? Or maybe him?_

The only response Zelda received was the faint rustling of leaves and the low din of the village behind her. She groaned and pressed her hands over her eyes, wondering why she'd just referred to Link as her Chosen Hero. The most heroic thing about him right now was how bold he'd been to kiss Kina like that under the Light Tower, where anyone could see them. Kina had looked so… _smug_ when she was kissing him. Like she was proud of herself for luring him in with that dark hair and her sugary little face and the _stupid_ pumpkin cider. She should be ashamed, they _both_ should be.

The fluttering of wings distracted her, and Zelda wiped her eyes before looking up to see Blue floating gracefully down from the sky. He landed next to her, chuffing quietly and pushing his head into her chest. Zelda stroked his feathers and smiled gently.

"I suppose I _do_ need company."

Blue made a cooing sound, then lowered his chest towards the ground by her feet. Zelda grasped the harness around his neck and climbed on to his back, listening to him screech before flapping his wings until they lifted off the ground and shot into the sky. She wasn't sure exactly where he was going, but the destination didn't matter so long as it was far away from anyone kissing.

* * *

Over the next week, Zelda became absorbed in her knitting, though she wasn't working on any specific project. She liked the monotony of it, the steadiness, the unchanging patterns. Yarn over, slip stitch, yarn over, slip stitch, again and again until Zelda could do it with her eyes closed. But every time she closed her eyes, all Zelda could see was Kina kissing Link.

"We'll still hang out," he'd told her when he stopped by one night. "You're my best friend, Zelda. Plus, you're a _girl_ ," he added, as though she hadn't realized this after living inside her body for almost sixteen years. "Maybe you can help me or something."

"Oh, do you need help?" Zelda asked innocently, not looking up from the tangle of yarn in her lap.

Link shrugged, his cheeks red as he ruffled his hair. "No, but… I _might_."

"I don't know how much help I could be, Link," she admitted sadly. "I haven't even been kissed, let alone had a boyfriend. And Kina won't like us hanging out."

Link grinned shyly. "Nah, she's fine. She knows how close we are, and she likes you a lot. She says you've always made her feel welcome even though she doesn't live on Skyloft."

 _She_ would _say that_ , Zelda grumbled to herself, knowing Kina wouldn't want to push Link to much when they had only been dating a week or so. Eventually she'd get jealous, and Zelda would be pushed out of Link's life like a bad habit.

"How come you never told me you liked her?" Zelda asked, putting down her knitting so she could look at Link. His expression turned sheepish and he ruffled his hair again.

"Honestly, I didn't- I mean, I always _liked_ Kina, she was always nice to me," he said, very red in the face now. "But I'd just never… thought about her like that."

"Until she kissed you."

"Until she said she _liked_ me," Link corrected. "She _likes_ me, Zelda."

"Why is that so surprising?" Zelda scoffed. " _Everyone_ likes you."

"Yeah but, not… not like _she_ does. I just hadn't ever looked at her that way until she said something."

Zelda nodded, thinking she couldn't fault Link when she'd been so blindly oblivious to her own feelings. She couldn't fault him for any of this, but it didn't stop her from trying.

"So, have you brought her to meet your parents yet?" Zelda asked, wondering if Orel and Larke would be able to put a stop to this madness.

Link shook his head. "No, but she… she had lunch with my mom and you a few years ago?" he asked, tilting his head when Zelda blushed and turned back to her knitting. "She said she'd met her before. I probably _should_ bring her over…"

"They know, you know," Zelda informed him. "Your dad stopped me because he saw you two kissing by the Light Tower and wanted to know how long-"

"He _saw_ us?" Link groaned, white now instead of red. "Oh, Hylia help me. What did he _say_?"

"He thought it was funny. Not- he wasn't making fun of you, but he was amused by how into it you were. You two… you made _me_ blush."

Color started to come back into Link's face, and he smiled a little. Zelda rolled her eyes, though the corners of her mouth lifted slightly. "Tell me you're at least _trying_ to get to know her."

"I know her."

"What's her favorite subject?"

Link's face went blank and Zelda smirked. "I can't speak from experience, but it's probably a good idea to _talk_ to her between kisses."

"She just…" he started, the tips of his ears turning red along with his cheeks. There was an ache in the center of Zelda's chest. She'd never realized how… _cute_ … Link was when he blushed like that.

"She just _really_ likes kissing me," he mumbled, twisting his fingers nervously in his lap. Then he cleared his throat and nodded at her. "But you're probably right. I should… talk more."

Zelda frowned at this, thinking Kina should try to get to know Link as well. He was sweet, and funny, and maybe he didn't talk a lot, but that didn't mean he never had anything to say. Did she know what his favorite color was? (It was blue). Or that he was good at woodcarving and drawing? Did she know his favorite subject in school was math and that he hated writing? Did she even know _anything_ about Link besides the fact that he liked pumpkin cider?

Once Link had gone, Zelda was left with a sour stomach again. The feeling wouldn't go away no matter what she did. It didn't help matters that Kina was being overly nice to Zelda. There was a bag of chocolates on her bed one day, and Zelda knew they had to be from Kina. She'd never told anyone about the conversation she'd had with Larke, but Kina had been in on it and would know roughly when Zelda would _need_ chocolate. The thought bothered her so much she ended up throwing the bag in the trash without eating a single piece.

Kina was also on the island a lot more, and when Link was busy, she'd taken to hanging out in Zelda and Karane's room while she waited for him.

"He brought me to his house for dinner last Sunday," she said one afternoon after they'd finished a history lesson. "His dad is so funny, and his mom is probably the sweetest person I've ever met."

Zelda just nodded, focused on copying the notes Pipit had pushed into her hands earlier that day. The maths course she was taking was harder than she expected, even though she'd sailed through the pre-course last year without a problem. _Link_ usually helped her if she struggled in math, just like she helped him if he struggled with writing. But they weren't helping each other much now. He was too busy blushing over Kina flirting with him in class. It was kind of gross. Today she'd held his hand under the table through the whole lecture and Zelda had felt like gagging.

"Speaking of Linky's parents," Kina said, using that infuriating nickname she'd given him. "They said they'd like to see you."

"See… who?"

"Orel said he has a present for you."

"Oh," Zelda replied, disturbed Kina was calling Orel by his first name. "Why?"

"Probably because you're turning sixteen tomorrow," Karane said, watching Zelda frown at the papers in front of her.

"Oh… right."

Kina smiled, tipping her head a little to the side. "Did you forget it was your birthday, Zelda?"

"I… forgot," Zelda mumbled.

"Linky hasn't!" Kina said brightly. "He said just this morning that we should all do something together. What would you like to do?"

Zelda fought back a scowl. The last thing she wanted to do on her birthday was hang out with Kina. Link, yes… but not Kina. Especially not when she'd be holding Link's hand and kissing him on the cheek like she did when he'd left to go to his sparring session. She shrugged, "I'm sure my father wants to do something with me… so I might be busy."

"Maybe we could do something later?" Kina suggested.

"Yeah… maybe," Zelda buried herself in her notes. "I need to study this. If I don't keep up Horwell is going to be on me."

Kina smiled and nodded at her, though Karane was giving Zelda a funny look, and didn't stop until Kina left with Link a few minutes later. Karane stood up to shut the door while Zelda finished copying Pipit's notes, writing the last few letters with so much force the tip of her pencil broke. She threw it down and kicked the underside of her desk, swearing under her breath as Kina's shrill giggle echoed in the hall.

"So, you forgot it was your birthday tomorrow…" Karane began skeptically.

"I didn't forget," Zelda muttered, shifting the papers around in front of her. "I just don't feel like spending the day with Kina and _Linky_."

Karane frowned. "You need to quit that," she scolded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Quit what?"

"That tone you have."

"I surely don't have any idea _what_ you're talking about."

"That's bird crap and you know it," Karane rebuked. "You rolled your eyes about twenty times while she was in here, and I hear the stuff you mutter under your breath when she leaves."

Zelda jumped to her feet, gesturing wildly at the door. "All she does is _kiss_ him all the time. I bet she doesn't even try to talk-"

"So what if she kisses him all the time? She's his _girlfriend_ , Zelda."

Zelda flinched. "She doesn't know anything about him. I bet Link hates that stupid nickname."

"That's up to him to decide, isn't it? Because last _I_ heard, you were just his friend," Karane pointed out, ignoring Zelda's glare. "If you want to stay that way, you'd better knock this off. That's his _girlfriend_ , Zelda, whether you like it or not. And I bet if Link heard some of the things you've said-"

Zelda crossed her arms over her chest. "What have I said, exactly? I'm surprised _you_ hear all this," she sneered. "That's quite a talent to be able to listen so well when Parrow has his _tongue_ down your throat."

"Okay, first off," Karane snapped, jabbing her finger in Zelda's face. "That's _not_ how it works, and if you'd ever _been_ kissed, you'd know that, so-"

"That's not fair!"

"Neither is how you've been treating Kina! That girl has done _nothing_ to you."

"That girl has done nothing _for_ me either," Zelda retorted, grabbing Pipit's notes from her desk.

"Since when does someone have to do something for you in order for you to be nice to them?"

"I guess you two are _best friends_ now, so she'll be in here waiting for _Linky_ all the time," Zelda growled, pushing past Karane towards the door. Reaching for the doorknob, she halted, and turned back to Karane with a glare.

"Oh, _except_ when you're in here _getting off_ with Parrow. I'll just have to hang out by myself since I can't even be in my room anymore!"

Zelda stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her and storming outside. She choked back her tears just enough to put her fingers in her mouth and whistle for Blue, wanting nothing more than to take to the clouds and forget everything that was happening for a while.

* * *

The morning of her birthday arrived, though Zelda had never felt less enthused. Every year since she'd turned six, she'd spent her birthday with Link. She'd spent it with other people too, Kina had even been one of those people, but that had been different.

Zelda had no desire to celebrate the day she was born by watching Link and Kina… _canoodle_ with each other, and Karane was getting just as bad with Parrow. If given the choice, Zelda would prefer solitude, or spending time with her father or Link's parents. She was almost an adult now, perhaps she should associate with adults who'd moved past that kind of wanton teenage behavior.

Except she knew that Orel and Larke still made out from time to time, so maybe she didn't want to hang out with them either. Or perhaps she'd been replaced by _Kina_ …

Henya was overly cheery when Zelda arrived for breakfast, and when her father stood up from his seat at a table to give her a hug and a kiss on the forehead, the embarrassment was surely plain on Zelda's face.

"Sixteen," he beamed. "My Little Zelda is _sixteen_."

" _Dad_ ," she scolded, warm around the ears.

"I'm sorry _,"_ he chuckled, giving her another kiss. "Happy Birthday, Dear. Will I be able to find you later, or do you have plans with your friends?"

"Oh, I'm… sure I'll be around," Zelda replied, giving her father a tight-lipped smile. Satisfied that she seemed to be okay, her father returned to his office. Back in the dining area, Karane was sitting next to Parrow, smiling coyly at him, while Groose was busy tucking into a plate of the fried bread that Zelda liked so much.

"Always like it when it's your birfday and Henya makes dis," he said through a mouthful of food. Zelda scrunched up her nose, then jumped when someone brushed past her.

"She always makes favorites on everyone's birthday," Pipit noted as he passed. "Even _my_ birthday and I don't even live here."

Henya took Pipit's chin in one hand and gave him a fond smile. "Well, if _I_ didn't make it for you, I know you'd never get it otherwise." Zelda noticed Pipit blushed at the comment, though she didn't understand why.

Just then, someone put their hands on Zelda's shoulders and used her as leverage to jump high into the air. " _Hey_!" Link said, landing like a Remlit on his feet behind her. He threw his arms around her neck and laughed when she stumbled backward into him. "Happy Sixteenth!"

Zelda's dour mood shifted, and a shy smile crept onto her face. "Thanks," she mumbled, warm across her cheekbones and in her chest.

"So, what do you want to do?" he asked, bounding into the kitchen ahead of her.

"What do you mean?"

Link scoffed, still grinning, though his expression was confused now. "I mean, what do you want to do? We always hang out on your birthday, just like we always do on mine. What do you want to do, Zelda?"

Zelda froze. He wanted to hang out? With her? _Just_ her? Zelda thought for a moment her heart might burst. "Well, actually," she said, catching his infectious enthusiasm. "I'd like to go flying. I had a strange dream last night about… a hole in the clouds to the South of the island, and I… want to fly over there just because."

Link tilted his head. "A hole in the clouds?"

"Yes," Zelda explained, lowering her voice so only he could hear. "Not just a space or a hint of blue sky, a hole. I could see all the way down through it, Link, and there was… I know it sounds crazy, but I'd just like to fly around the clouds for a while."

"Okay," Link grinned. "We'll fly south and check out your hole in the clouds, but I have to help my parents first. My mom wants to start making yarn so my dad is putting in a loom for her in part of his workshop. After I'm done with that, I'll find you?"

"Yeah, sure," Zelda said, brightening considerably. "That sounds great."

Link smiled, handing her a plate of the toast Henya had given him before taking his own. Link asked her what else she'd been up to lately, but Zelda didn't have much to say. Knitting partially completed projects wasn't all that interesting, but she was happy to have Link smiling at her again. She felt strangely warm all over, and could barely eat for how much her stomach flipped whenever Link laughed. After they finished breakfast, Link childishly wiped his hands on his pants before giving Zelda another warm smile.

"So, I'll find you when I'm done, and we'll all fly south?" he asked.

"Yes, that sounds good," Zelda agreed. "Promise?"

Link nodded once. "I promise," he replied, smiling again before pushing away from the table, then waving as he headed out the door.

Zelda started to walk back to her room, but was pulled into Owlan's office so he could present her with a large book on the Legends of Skyloft he'd had made. Zelda was so grateful she gave him a hug, which Owlan returned with surprising gentleness. When she left, Horwell called her into his office and spent the next hour regaling her with stories of how precocious she'd been as a child. Zelda noted that almost all of them after age five involved Link. After that, Zelda finally made it back to her room, only to find Karane in it alone.

She held up the tangle of thread Zelda had knitted together and snickered. "I'm not sure _what_ you were trying to make here, but I can't fix it. I've been trying for the last hour," she explained, shaking her head.

Zelda grimaced. "I don't think I had a project in mind," she admitted with laugh.

"Well then, we can just start something from scratch, can't we?" she said, tossing Zelda a brand new ball of light green thread.

Time passed much quicker than it had been in the last few weeks. Zelda enjoyed Karane's company, though found herself antsy and excited the entire time. It'd been so long since she and Link had spent time together, and surely that was the source of the butterflies in her stomach.

She knew Link would not mock her desire to fly south to look at the clouds. He'd always been a good listener, even when she prattled on and on with her thoughts about the surface, or tried to explain the strange, incredibly vivid dreams she sometimes had. The one last night had been very odd. The image of the hole in the clouds had been so realistic. So often Zelda's dreams didn't feel like dreams as much as memories, and it often felt like those memories belonged to someone else.

Link never balked at this theory, he'd even suggested maybe her dreams _were_ memories. He'd said, "The Goddess gives out all sorts of gifts, who's to say yours isn't telling the future, or seeing the past?"

The comment had made Zelda feel so validated she'd felt like kissing him at the time. Perhaps she should have…

The day stretched on, and Zelda's excitement soon turned to anxiety. She and Link hadn't decided on a place to meet, he'd just said he'd find her. That had been hours ago though, so Zelda headed out, thinking that way she could be ready as soon as Link was finished helping his parents. She passed Pipit on the way out, returning the smile he gave her and thinking Pipit had been lingering around the Academy a lot recently, considering he didn't live there.

She went to the pond and waded around on the steps for a bit, and watching the sun fall slowly towards the horizon. Loftwings wouldn't fly after dark, so there'd be no way they could go flying if Link didn't find her soon. They'd have to do something else, which would be fine, but her curiosity about the dream was getting the best of her, and she desperately wanted to go look.

The sun had begun to set in ernest before Zelda decided to head to to Link's house, surprised at the silence that followed her knock. She walked to the back, thinking maybe they were out in Orel's woodworking space, but no one was there either. She could see the loom that Link had mentioned. It looked like it had been hours since they finished putting it up.

Zelda's eyes pricked, but her blood started to feel hot in her veins. She put her fingers in her mouth and whistled for Blue, thinking an aerial advantage would enable her to see Link wherever he was, and that would end the waiting game for certain. Blue landed a second later, squawking brightly at the sight of her and shaking out his feathers while Zelda jumped onto his back. Once she was secure, he shot skyward, seeming to sense Zelda's urgency in the way she gripped his harness. As they flew, Zelda scanned the ground fruitlessly for Link, his parents, or -

His red bird…

The bird was lazily gliding around Pumpkin Island. It wasn't normally a surprise; Kina was Link's girlfriend, it had become a frequent spot for him lately. But today…

Link had _promised_ her. It was...it was her _birthday_!

As she watched the Crimson Loftwing swoop in a graceful circle around the pumpkin shaped building, Zelda thought Link's promises were as good as the droppings his bird left off the edge of the island.

Zelda's eyes turned south, her mind desperate for distraction, to think about anything other than Link, his broken promises, his _Kina_ and the stupid pumpkin where she and Link were probably kissing.

Twilight was almost over, and Blue began slowly drifting towards Skyloft.

" _No_ ," Zelda said, pulling up on Blue's harness. He arched his head back to look curiously at her, and Zelda took a deep breath. "The sun isn't down yet. There's still something I want to see."

Blue squawked, obeying without a second thought when Zelda pushed forward and steered him in a wide arc south. She buried herself into his feathers, relishing the wind whipping through her hair and the reckless speed at which Blue was now flying. Link and his promises be damned. If he could forget her that easily, perhaps they were never really friends to begin with.

Zelda fixed her eyes on the clouds, searching for anything they might be hiding. She spotted the rare sight of a rainbow off in the distance, and numerous tiny rocks that drifted alone in the sky, some of them almost big enough to be considered islands. She was just about to give up, her fury getting the better of her, but a flash of green caught her attention.

" _There_!" Zelda shouted, leaning so far over Blue's haunches she almost fell off. The bird screeched, admonishing her until she got back into proper position. Zelda pushed down on his harness, driving Blue faster towards this strange hole in the clouds that had opened up out of nowhere.

The closer she got, it became apparent that it wasn't really a hole so much as a space, just an area where the cloud cover wasn't so thick. Though this technicality didn't matter to Zelda.. Her heart had started to race because below the clouds... she could see _more_. It looked just like her dreams: lush foliage covering a giant swath of land, so big it stretched beyond anything she could see from the island, or from the back of her bird...

Blue squawked then, his flight path wavering as he fought with Zelda's continued urge to fly lower. " _No_ ," she shouted. "I want to see. What's down there?"

Blue ignored her questions, trying to bank out of the dive to turn back towards Skyloft. Zelda shifted her whole weight back towards the opening, but Blue was determined. He pushed his wings down, rising higher away from the cloud barrier, higher from the opening. She shook his harness, desperation swirling in her chest. "I have nothing for me on that island," she shouted. "I want more! There's _something_ -"

The blast from an updraft caught Blue underwing. He rolled uncontrollably in the air, tossing his head and flapping his wings to try and stay upright. His beak collided with Zelda as she leaned forward, and instinctively she pressed a hand against the pain her cheek, which meant she let go of the harness just as Blue rolled—

And then she was free falling.

The sun arced into view overhead, the clouds racing upwards from below. Zelda's position prevented her from spreading herself out like she'd been taught as a child. Blue was screaming, though she couldn't see him. There was a flash of red feathers, and Zelda's descent was abruptly halted by claws seizing her arm—

She was _ascending_ , flailing to try and right herself before the descent would surely start again, Just as it did, someone snatched her out of the air and pulled her onto the back of a bright yellow Loftwing. Instinct told her to grasp whatever she could, which happened to be a set of broad shoulders. She didn't have time to see who they belonged to, for a second later pain shot through her like a blade and all she could think about was-

" _Blue_?" she screamed, still unable to see where her Loftwing had gone. " _BLUE_!" Zelda pushed against the person holding her, trying to twist around so she could-

"He's fine!" Pipit shouted, leaning to the side so she could see around him. Blue was flying, though clearly weakened. The Crimson Loftwing, sans rider, was behind him, squawking encouragingly and flying close to make sure Blue could stay in the sky. Panic settled deep in Zelda's bones, and she gripped Pipit's tunic tighter in her fist.

"What the _hell_ were you doing?" he demanded, his face right next to hers, expression furious. "You almost got yourself killed!"

Zelda blanked; the thought of Blue in distress making it hard to focus. "I saw— there was an opening… I thought I might go through –"

"Zelda, Loftwings _can't_ go below the cloud barrier. The Goddess put it in place to keep us safe from whatever is down there. They won't go below it- that's why he lost you. Don't you remember _learning_ this?!"

"I-I remember," she stammered, thinking back to the Loftwing care class she'd taken when she was just eleven. There _had_ been something about them not being able to go through the barrier, but there was no barrier where she'd been. The clouds were open…

"Why were you following me?" she demanded, curious as to how Pipit saw her in the first place.

"I saw you fly off alone, and I thought… it was getting late. I wasn't sure where you were going, so I followed," he explained. "You're damn lucky it's _me_ and not-"

A high-pitched whistle cut him off. Zelda grimaced and Pipit frowned, both looking back to see Orel and Grey flanking Blue alongside the Crimson Loftwing. Zelda watched Link jump from his father's bird onto the back of his own, hair wild and face white. Pipit swore under his breath and pulled up on his bird's harness as they approached the island.

They landed on Skyloft moments later, and Zelda practically leapt off Pipit's bird so she could comfort her own. Blue didn't land so much as he collapsed, and Zelda fell to her knees beside him.

" _I'm so sorry_ ," she whispered, taking the bird's head between her hands. "I didn't know… I didn't… _think…_ "

Tears were hot on her cheeks, and Zelda curled herself into Blue, body aching all over in a mimicry of his pain. Blue lifted his head, setting it softly against her chest, and Zelda had just enough time to hug him before someone took her by the arm and yanked her to her feet.

"Are you _insane_?" Link demanded harshly, hands tight against her arms and face white with rage. "What were you thinking?"

Zelda wrenched herself from his grasp. "What do _you_ care?" she snapped. "You didn't care enough to keep your promise! We haven't hung out together in weeks, and now you suddenly care what I'm doing?"

Link's froze, his face almost stoic. With determined calm, he said, "I care about what you're doing."He sounded exactly like his father did when Orel used his "Knight" voice. "Zelda, I _care_ about you-"

"Oh _please_ ," she sneered. "Everything changed, just like they all said it would! You've got a girlfriend and you've forgotten all your friends! _Me…_ Fledge...and Pipit!" she added, stumbling around for names so she didn't single herself out. "You don't think about anyone except Kina, so what do you care if I go flying off alone at sunset? It's not like you've never done it before!"

In a huff, Zelda turned back to Blue, who was getting to his feet now and shaking his feathers out. She could feel Link behind her still, and wished he would just leave—

"That's not fair," he rasped in a suddenly shaky voice. "That's… not… "

Something shifted then, and Link grabbed Zelda by the shoulder, spinning her so she could face him.

"You _said_ it!" he shouted, the sudden ferocity making Zelda jump.. "I… I _wanted…_ " Link stammered, whole body shaking. He stepped so close then she could feel his breath on her face.

"You were the one who said we were _just friends_ – that we just don't ' _see each other_ ' like that," He whispered harshly, voice low enough that Pipit and Orel probably couldn't hear him. Zelda _hoped_ they couldn't hear him. Link jabbed a finger towards her face, and Zelda took a step back, holding up her hands to try and placate his fury.

"It's not fair to be mad because someone else _wants_ me," he went on. "Especially after- everyone says _I'm_ thick but you-!" He was glaring at Zelda with so much disgust it made her chest hurt.

"Link, I-"

"Do you have any idea how I felt? For _months_? With you... hugging and _touching_ me?" he rasped, raking a hand through his hair. She opened her mouth to respond, alarmed by the stricken look on his face, but Link was not yet done.

"You can't be mad at me... and you can't be mad at _Kina_. It's not fair- _you_ said it, Zelda. _You_."

At that, Link stormed past her, fists clenched by his side and swearing under his breath. Blue hissed indignantly at him, offended he would speak to her in such a way, but Zelda was left feeling like she was in free fall again.

"Zelda?"

Orel's voice was low, and threateningly calm. He took a deep breath, crossing his arms over his chest before he spoke.

"I'm not going to tell your father," he said. "You're old enough that— I won't say anything, but you should."

"Right," Zelda agreed.. "If it's of any… explanation… I thought I saw-"

"I don't care if you think you saw the Goddess herself, Zelda. That was reckless, and you could have gotten you _and_ your bird killed."

Zelda nodded, unable to look Orel in the face. She couldn't have felt more ashamed if she'd stood on the platform naked and sang.

Orel sighed, then cursed in a low voice. "Talk to your father, Zelda. It's not my place and I shouldn't… _care_ as much as I do," he lowered his voice even more. "But if you _ever_ do anything like that again, I will personally have your flying rights rescinded, do you understand me?"

"Yes," Zelda mumbled, certain she was as red as Link's loftwing. "Sir," she added quietly.

Orel looked like he wanted to reach for her, either to shake or hug her. Zelda couldn't tell. But he turned on his heel and walked back to Pipit, stopping long enough to praise his quick thinking and bravery before climbing Grey's back and launching himself skyward. Zelda grimaced when Blue pushed his beak into her back.

"I'll… um… I'll be okay," she murmured. "Will you?"

Blue cooed quietly, nestling her for a moment before gingerly spreading his wings and lifting off the ground. Zelda watched him go, then she met Pipit's eyes for the briefest moments.

"I'm sorry," she sniffled.

Pipit just nodded, expression pained. Zelda didn't understand why, it wasn't like his best friend just shouted at him for not being smart enough to realize they were more than friends. And he hadn't just had someone he carried an inordinate amount of respect and love for scold him for being reckless and stupid. Zelda swallowed the rock in her throat and turned to walk back to the dorms. She passed Link's room and thought about apologizing, but then she remembered how disgusted he'd looked and thought better of it. Instead, she turned to her Father's office, intending on confessing what had happened like Orel requested, but someone had beaten her to it.

When her father saw her, he shouted so loud Zelda knew the whole dormitory heard him.

"What in the hell were you doing, Zelda? Do you have any idea how _dangerous_ that was?"

She didn't offer any excuses, just stood silently and absorbed the lecture, feeling she deserved whatever anyone threw her way now. Any anger she'd felt earlier had gone completely out of her.

After her father finished yelling, Zelda sheepishly retreated to her room, only to be greeted by Karane yanking her inside, slamming the door behind her, then proceeding to pelt her with balls of yarn while Zelda tried to shield herself.

" _Quit_!" Zelda shouted. "I feel bad enough! Why-"

" _You should_!" Karane snapped, throwing one more ball just to make a point. "You _should_ feel bad. What would I do if something happened to you?"

Zelda gave Karane a slightly bewildered look. "What would _you_ do?"

Karane's face shifted, anger turning into despair, then she stalked forward and threw arms around Zelda in an affectionately crushing hug. Zelda stumbled backward, utterly bemused.

"You're my best friend, Zelda. _You_ are, and I know I'm not yours," she sobbed, voice muffled in Zelda's shirt. "And to be honest, I've always hated Link a bit for that," she added, causing Zelda to let out a single laugh. "But I love you, and if something happened to you I'd be terribly upset."

Zelda put her arms around Karane to return the embrace, still a bit perplexed. "I thought- Peatrice, Kina—"

"Peatrice has the personality of a Chuchu, and Kina _is_ shrill and flighty… you're not wrong on that," she explained, which made Zelda laugh again. "You and Orielle have always been my favorite." Karane pulled back then, wiping her eyes as she did. "Like I said, I know I'm not _your_ best friend, but-"

"Well, I'm probably in the market for one," Zelda muttered.

Karane sighed. "I should tell you- Link... He was the one who told your dad, that's how we all found out."

Zelda nodded, feeling like she'd been run through with a knife. "Well, you _warned_ me about my tone. And... I did… _say_ it." She sat limply down on her bed.

Karane frowned, sitting down on the bed beside her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Zelda shook her head. "No, I… not now."

"Link didn't say who caught you. Was it him?"

"Pipit," Zelda corrected. She brought her hands to her face. "And I barely said thank you to him."

"You can do it tomorrow," Karane assured her. "He'll be around. He's been around here enough lately you shouldn't have any trouble finding him."

Zelda nodded, guilt and shame twin stones in her belly. "I'll add him to my list of people I need to see in the morning."

* * *

Morning came, and Zelda waited in her room until she was sure everyone had finished breakfast before going down to eat. After she'd endured a lecture from Henya, her first stop was her father's office, where she spent an hour explaining first what she'd seen in her dreams, then what she'd seen in the clouds. Her father never said a word, just sat and listened, until she finally reached where she'd wanted to in the conversation.

"Regardless, it was stupid of me to try and get past the barrier," Zelda said, taking full responsibility for her recklessness. "I need to accept that this is all there is" she gestured to the room, though she was thinking of the island at large. "I'm going to be adult soon, and I need to start taking responsibility for things around here.."

Her father nodded, folding his hands over Zelda's and smiling. "Zelda, my love, I promise… someday soon, I will explain _everything_ I know about this strange place we call home."

Zelda paused. "But... why not now?"

"Because now… well, now you are too impulsive and reckless to understand the burdens we carry. But coming here shows a great deal of maturity. I do wish I hadn't heard about what you did from Link, but-"

"He shouldn't have told you," Zelda interjected. " _I_ was going to tell you, so I have no idea why he decided it was-"

"You scared him," Her father said. "He told me because he was afraid you wouldn't, and he asked me to make sure you never did anything like that again, but I trust you understand the consequences if you do."

Zelda nodding, suddenly wanting to tell her father just a bit of what the last month had been like for her, but he beat her to it.

"Zelda, I know Link and Kina have started dating, and I imagine that must have been very difficult for you," he said gently. "But I implore you, talk to him about it? You need each other, and whilst things in your relationship will change, your need for each other will not."

"I… I understand. I'm actually going to find him later today to… apologize," she explained. Her father smiled at the news,then stood up to hug her so she could move on with the next stop on her tour, which wasn't with Link, but was closely related to him.

"I wanted to come by and apologize," she blurted out when Larke opened the door. Zelda willed herself not to cry as Larke pursed her lips, her blue eyes (Link's blue eyes) brimming with tears. Orel was behind her, a hand on her back, looking pained underneath his calm expression. "I _did_ speak with my father, and… I know what I did was reckless and-"

Larke cut her off by pulling her into a tight hug, one of her hands holding Zelda's head close to her chest. A moment later she released her, wiping her cheeks with her fingers while Orel reached forward to squeeze Zelda tightly. There was mixture of forgiveness and repentance in his hug, and when they both insisted she come inside for tea, Zelda felt some of the guilt lift off her shoulders.

"You should know," Orel said after they'd been talking for a while. "It's not entirely Link's fault he and Kina didn't meet up with you yesterday. We insisted on going over to meet her father since they're getting so close, and time just… got away from all of us. He was furious at being kept from you."

Zelda nodded, frowning internally when she realized Link had never specified that he'd hang out _alone_ with her. Though Zelda had been stupid to assume this in the first place. "It's all right," she sighed. "That still was no reason for me to behave as I did."

Larke seemed pained as she gripped her tea mug. Orel looked to her, then back to Zelda, a wry smile on his face. "Would it make you feel better if we lied and said we hated her?"

" _Orel_!" Larke scolded, swatting him on the arm.

Zelda laughed and shook her head. "No, that would not make me feel better. Kina's done nothing to deserve that."

"She's a lovely girl," Larke said fairly. "But we'd both be lying if we didn't say we hadn't thought that you and Link-" she started before taking a breath to stop herself. "We understand, Zelda. He's just your friend and that's okay."

Zelda nodded, wondering how much Link had told his parents about what she'd said, or how much he'd told his parents in general. She sipped her tea, curious over the look Orel was giving her. Zelda recalled standing with him by the windmill, watching Link and Kina kiss... The look he was giving her suggested he was wise to the emotions Zelda was trying to hide, though it was clear Larke had heard a completely different side of the story. For some reason, they had yet to exchange tales. Perhaps Orel was withholding information to spare Larke's feelings… or to spare Zelda's.

Zelda left an hour later, carrying a handcrafted bow Orel had made for her sixteenth birthday. It was trimmed in gold and had her name carved into it in Old Hylian. Zelda had given Orel another hug before leaving, thanking him in a whisper when he squeezed her tighter. She was carrying it with her on her way across the island, intending to leave it in her room before her next stop, but an unexpected chance for an apology crossed her path.

"Hey, Kina," Zelda called, watching Kina jump at the sound of her voice. Zelda winced, unsure if it was because of the look of horror on Kina's face, or because her own stomach had clenched up out of shame. "Do… do you have a minute?"

"Um… yeah," Kina said, tucking a stray hair back into her headband. "I… um… I'm just on my way to meet Linky- er... Link. But he can wait, he's patient. I see you… you, um… visited his parents?"

"Oh, yeah," Zelda said, glancing down at the bow. "I had to stop and… apologize. Which is actually why I stopped you. I need to apologize to you too."

" _Me_?" Kina yelped. "Why… why me?"

"Because I was… _angry…_ at you," Zelda admitted, shame thick in her voice. "I haven't been fair to Link, and I've been really unfair to you. I apologize for that. Link means a lot to me. I just want to see him happy, and you make him happy. So, I'm sorry if… if I ever made you feel like I didn't like you, or that… I wasn't happy for the two of you."

Kina blinked, still looking bemused by Zelda. She twisted her fingers in front of her waist, cheeks coloring so much Zelda wondered if she'd started to absorb some of Link's ability to blush on command. "Wow… um, I had no idea. Actually, I've… I've thought I should apologize to _you_ , Zelda."

Now it was Zelda's turn to look bewildered. "What for?"

"After I told you I kissed Link, you had this look on your face and I just… I _knew_. I felt awful. That first day I asked Link again and again if he… well if he really _did_ like me, just in case. I've always felt so intimidated by you, Zelda."

"By _me_?"

"Of course by you," Kina laughed. "You're Link's _best friend_ , over Pipit, or Fledge, or anyone. I was very worried that if you felt… how you just admitted to feeling, Link wouldn't want to go out with me."

Guilt pressed in on Zelda's chest, and she took a shuddering breath to steady herself. "I'm so sorry you felt that way. I… you should know, when Link came and talked to me I didn't…" Zelda paused and took another breath. "He had no idea how I was feeling, and even if he did, it wouldn't change how he feels about you."

Kina nodded nervously. Zelda chewed her lip for just a moment, then offered Kina a gentle smile. "Anyway, I don't want you to be intimidated by me. I would very much like it if we could be friends."

"I'd like that as well," Kina said. "I know Link would too. He was very upset when he saw you flying off yesterday, and this morning he—are you going to talk to him? Because you should."

"I am," Zelda assured her. "He's on my list of people I need to see."

Kina grew curious. "Who else is on your list?"

"Just Link… and Pipit," Zelda said, thinking maybe Pipit should have been first since he saved her

"Good," Kina said firmly. She pressed her lips together, smiling sweetly at Zelda. "Thank you, Zelda. Come over sometime and we can have lunch or something."

Zelda nodded. "I will. Thanks, Kina."

After an amiable goodbye, Kina walked off towards the Bazaar while Zelda continued her path to the Academy. She found Pipit with Link in front of the Sparring Hall, his presence only adding to Zelda's anxiety.

"Hey," she mumbled, not sure exactly who she was addressing.

"Hi," Link replied coolly while Pipit said, "Hey, Zelda," in a cheery voice.

"Could I… talk to you for a minute?" she asked, still unsure of who she was speaking to.

Pipit nodded, looking at Link before taking a step towards the dormitories. He looked a little dejected as he walked away.

"But, Pipit," Zelda called, watching him stop and turn over his shoulder. "Don't… go far, all right?"

Link started at this, eyes widening as he looked quickly from Zelda to Pipit then back again. "Oh," Pipit said, a shy smile tugging at his mouth. "Okay."

"I'll find you in a few minutes… after um… after." She gestured weakly to Link.

"Yeah, sure," he said, a skip in his step as he walked towards the dormitories. Zelda turned to Link, bracing for a scowl, but to her surprise his face was completely neutral.

"Listen," she said quietly. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was angry, and I'm sorry I scared you, and I'm sorry if I ev-ever…" she stuttered before trailing off, unable to fully confess everything she'd felt out of fear she'd confuse or hurt Link, or perhaps she'd confuse or hurt herself. "I'm just _sorry_ , Link. I hope you can forgive me."

Link nodded, a little red in the ears. "You talked to my dad?"

"Oh, yeah," Zelda said, glancing down at the bow still in her hands. "I did. And I talked to Kina, too."

"You did?" Link nearly gasped.

"I owed her an apology," Zelda admitted.

Link gave Zelda a very stern, unblinking look, and she felt her own ears warm.

After a pause he said, "You scared the hell out of me, you know."

"I'm sorry," Zelda repeated. "And I'm sorry about everything _else_ too."

Link just nodded slowly, chewing his lip. "Zelda, I… um…" he began, eyebrows knitted together in concentration. He took another breath, and then his expression settled into one of calm resolve. "I'm glad... you talked to Kina. That makes me happy."

"I want you to be happy, Link," Zelda said sincerely.

Link nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting a bit. He looked over Zelda's shoulder at something, nodding and holding up his hand in a placating gesture. Zelda could feel Kina without even needing to look.

"Listen, let's go flying soon," he said. "Or come find me after class. Pipit says you've been asking for his notes. Don't ask for his notes, he's horrible at math."

"He's not that bad," Zelda laughed. "I've actually got to go and talk to him."

Link tipped his head. "Another apology?"

"And a thank you, perhaps."

A flash of something crossed Link's features, then he was back to neutral. "Well, alright," he said, fingers in the hair at the back of his head. "Anyway, if you need help just ask, Zelda. I'm still here."

"I'll remember that," she affirmed, watching him glance over her shoulder at Kina. "You should... go now."

Link nodded, then he stepped toward her a little awkwardly. He held his hand up, pinky out in what she knew was a gesture of forgiveness this time, instead of a promise. Zelda squeezed it back, heart aching a little as she did.

"I'll see you soon," he said, grinning lopsidedly at her before walking towards the other side of the Sparring Yard where Kina was waiting. Zelda did not turn around to watch them go, instead she stared at the Sparring Hall doors and thought about the time she'd slapped Groose after Pipit had tried to push him back when they were arguing. Perhaps she should thank him for that, too.

Pipit was waiting for her in the hallway when she got inside, a slightly nervous look on his face. Zelda smiled at him, then took a deep breath.

"Listen, Pipit," she started, the words tumbling rapidly from her lips. Her heart was beating very fast now, and she wasn't exactly sure why. "I'm sorry you had to… fly out there and carry me back. That was really brave. And I… I appreciate it. I guess... what I'm trying to say is-"

"Do you want some tea?" Pipit interrupted, glancing at the dining hall behind them. "Or… maybe some cider? I know Henya always keeps some in the fridge, and Kina brings extra for Link, but he says we can all-"

Zelda let out a single, mirthless laugh and shook her head, staring at the floor between their feet. "No, Pipit. The last thing I want right now is pumpkin cider."

Pipt chuckled, the sound so inviting that Zelda could not help but gaze up at him. "To be honest, I hate the stuff. I don't see why everyone makes such a big fuss over it."

Zelda giggled quietly. "Me either."

"I prefer tea," he went on, grinning boyishly as they started walking towards the dining hall. "My mom makes it all the time, so that's all I ever drink besides water. Sometimes she mixes chocolate into hot milk, though; that's really good."

Zelda was captivated now. "That _sounds_ good."

"I can… make you some, if you want," he offered. "Henya has milk, and I know where she hides her chocolate."

Zelda laughed. "So do I. I've lived here since birth so I know where she hides everything." There was a lift in her chest, and Zelda started to feel strangely warm all over.

Pipit smiled very brightly, and Zelda couldn't help think he was almost as cute as Link was. They pulled milk out from the icebox, and Zelda watched Pipit bring it to a low boil before he began breaking up the chocolate they'd found and dropping it into the pot.

"So, why don't you live in the dorms?" she asked.

Pipit shrugged. "It's just my mom at home. She needs me to help out with stuff."

"That's sweet of you," she said, watching Pipit's cheeks turn pink. "Most of the other boys I know would just go home on the weekends to help out."

"Yeah… well," Pipit grinned. "I'm pretty sweet."

Zelda giggled, silently agreeing with his assessment. Despite what Link said, Pipit had been extremely helpful to her since school started. Zelda was sure his marks were fine, all his notes made sense at least. She wondered why Link had said that.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Pipit asked a second later, the meaning clear. When Zelda hesitated he added, "I know it's been bothering you." He handed Zelda a cup of the steaming chocolate milk. "I can listen."

"It's… I mean… It's been kind of lonely," Zelda admitted. She looked into his dark blue eyes, feeling compelled to speak. "It's not just Link and Kina, I have to put up with Parrow, too."

Pipit nodded sagely. "I'm sure it gets old. I don't even room with Parrow and it gets old."

"Don't tell me they're making out all the time in his room too?"

"You should talk to Groose about it," Pipit grinned. "He's tried everything to get them out. He lifts weights while she's there and tries to be extra loud."

Zelda laughed, she was going to have to ask Karane about that when she went back upstairs. She stared at Pipit then, watching him sip his chocolate milk then lick his lips afterward.

"Why are they kissing all the time?" she asked, unable to stop herself. "It's insane. What's the big fuss? What's it like?"

Pipit had just taken another drink and choked, wiping chocolate milk from his mouth with the back of his hand when he stopped coughing. "Y-yeah," he stammered. "I forget you've… you've never been kissed."

Zelda frowned; it was a statement, not a question. "It hasn't really been my choice, you know. No one has expressed an interest in kissing me, so-"

Zelda was cut off, the words caught against Pipit's lips. He'd leaned in, one hand still holding his chocolate milk while the other had gone to her waist so he could pull her close. Zelda was so caught off guard by the action that she yelped, which took away any time she had to determine whether she'd likedwhat happened before Pipit pulled back, shuddering as he did.

"Well… um…" he breathed a second later. "N-now someone has, so… problem solved, right?"

Zelda was frozen, save for the few times she blinked trying to get her brain to start working. She put her fingers against her lips, pressing them together and tasting chocolate. "I… suppose…"

Pipit gave her a fearful look. "I'm sorry! I- I didn't... you know… if you're wanting to kiss someone, I'm... available."

Zelda breathed out a laugh, feeling warm and shaky all over. Her heart was thrumming in her chest, and surly the rapid pulse was what caused the dizziness that overcame her.

"That… was…" Zelda couldn't speak, the words wouldn't come. She looked up at Pipit and his slightly flushed face, feeling a bit awed. "You _kissed_ me."

Pipit shrugged. "I like you, Zelda. I have for a while."

Zelda's eyes were wide. She now understood why he'd been lingering around the dormitories, and his insistence on helping her during class... the frequent smiles and requests to spend time with her… how could she have missed all the cues? What _else_ had she been missing out on?

Zelda took a breath and set her cup down.

"I'm sorry," she said, suddenly nervous as a nestling.

"Sorry?" Pipit repeated, looking worried.

"Yes, sorry. Because I have no idea what I'm doing, and I want to kiss you again but… I'm afraid it's going to be awful for should probably just kiss me before I lose my nerve, or start babbling uncontrollably… even worse than I am now." _Shut up_ , she screamed internally. "I hate silence. You should know that if we're going to go out. If there's too much of it, I just start going and I can't stop until-"

Pipit was laughing when he leaned in, lips soft against hers. He slipped an arm around her waist, making a pleased little noise when Zelda followed his lead and opened her mouth against his. He pulled her closer, his other arm wrapping around her while she ran her hands along his biceps. Zelda tilted her head instinctively.

Pipit pulled back a second later, pushing his forehead against hers. "That wasn't bad at all."

Zelda nodded, trying to slow her breathing. "No, it wasn't," she whispered. "I can… um… I see what the fuss is about, now."

Pipit grinned. It was warm and infectious, and Zelda giggled when he squeezed her tightly. She took a breath, then leaned in, head tilted and mouth open, to kiss him again.

* * *

A/N: I posted this chapter already on my tumblr, but I'm a week behind here due to some issues the site had a while back. NOW - I have gotten A LOT of feedback on this chapter, particularly on the fact that Link and Zelda are involved with other people. I beg you, please be patient... it will get there. I'm trying to make it as realistic as possible and this often happens to teenagers, let alone best friends who have crushes on each other. I would invite you to find me on tumbler (andelynk) and read my author's notes as it does explain a lot. Thank you for your follows, reviews, and feedback - no matter where it comes from =)


	10. That Time With the Loftwing's Lament

Winter holidays were Link's least favorite. The air turned cold and frequent snows came to the island, and if the wind picked up it swirled the snow around in the air so it became difficult to see. Flying turned dangerous in these conditions, and every so often a village wide flight restriction was enacted. The morning of Ribbon Day brought with it large snowflakes that accumulated quickly under his feet, though thankfully Link found little wind when he left the dorms. He headed towards the residential area to visit his mom as today was a holiday intended to honor relationships, though a heavy emphasis was placed on romantic ones, since the day had originally been dedicated to Hylia andher Chosen Hero.

"Ugh, you poor thing. Look at your hands," she said after they'd finished eating the pancakes she'd made him She frowned at his dry skin and rubbed her soft hands over his cracked knuckles. It had gotten worse, aggravated both by the cold and by Link's anxiety over doing something grand and romantic for Kina. "Are you using that salve I gave you?"

"Yes," he lied, silently promising to put the lotion on as soon as he returned to the dorms.

"Are you drinking enough water?"

"I… try," he said, thinking he'd been drinking more pumpkin cider lately than water. He'd actually started to get sick of it.

"Your skin has been like this since you were a baby, Link. Your father and I used to give you a bath and lather you in that thick cream, then we'd let you run around the house naked while it soaked in."

His mother smiled at the memory, cheeks bright with color. Link remembered something he'd been wanting to ask her. "Is there a story about why you and Dad always skip the Ribbon Day ceremony and stand near that flagpole by the bridge?'

She laughed. "I had a ridiculous crush on your father, I could barely speak around him. We ended up beside each other during the flagpole dance on Color Day and he _smiled_ at me. I tripped, and when he went to catch me, we ended up spinning and... he was all tied up in ribbons and I fell on _top_ of him," she explained, talking rapidly while her cheeks flushed with color. "It was so embarrassing, Link, but your dad just laughed at me. That pole we stand by is the one we danced around. Every year he cuts a ribbon from it and gives it to me."

This seemed such a small gift, but his mom was smiling and fidgeting with a ribbon she had tied around her wrist. "Is that all he gives you?" Link asked.

"He's given me other things over the years, and I make him a new scarf when he needs it, but Ribbon Day isn't about that for us. Actually, I was dating someone else the Ribbon Day before your dad and I got together. He doesn't remember that one very fondly at all."

Link pursed his lips, dragging a piece of pancake through the thick syrup on his plate before popping it in his mouth. "Are you and Kina doing anything?" his mom asked.

"We are going up to the square. I... made her a Loftwing, but I'm not sure she's going to like it."

"Of course she'll like it. Your Loftwings are so good now, your dad says he's got competition. Does she like flowers? Rupin sometimes has flowers, run over and ask him if he has some."

Link shrugged. He and Kina never talked about flowers. Kina liked singing, the poetry and mythology texts Link had to read, and… kissing him. She really liked kissing him. Link didn't mind it, but at times it felt like kissing was the only thing they liked doing together. She didn't enjoy flying and had no interest in anything related to being a Knight. He struggled to find things to talk about with her, so they usually ended up kissing.

"Kina likes music," his mom said thoughtfully. "You could make her a music note."

Link frowned, wishing he would have have come up with that idea, or talked to his mom before now. "What would I do with the Loftwing?"

"Keep it for yourself? Give it to Zelda?"

At the mention of Zelda's name Link's stomach clenched. "Zelda has one of my Loftwings already."

"She told me it got broken a while back. I'm sure she'd like a new one."

Link bitterly thought maybe _Pipit_ should make her one, wondering why his stomach went queasy at the thought of them together. He shouldn't be jealous, he had Kina. He _liked_ Kina. She was pretty and kissing her made Link's head spin. Sometimes she'd sing to him while he dozed on her lap, soothed by her fingers in his hair. He wondered if Zelda did the same for Pipit though his hair was shorter than Link's so there couldn't have been much for her to play with if she did.

"Zelda and Pipit came over the other night and spent an hour shooting with your dad," his mom added then.

"Where were you?"

"I was out," she shrugged, taking Link's empty plate and walking it to the kitchen. "I had a few errands to run, but when I got back they'd made supper for me, and Pipit made us all warm chocolate milk."

Link scrunched his face up, irritated Pipit was hanging out with his mom and making her drinks. Wasn't it enough that he had Zelda? Did he have to start charming his _mother_ as well?

"I'd better head out," he said a moment later. "I'm supposed to meet up with Kina soon."

"Oh, Link! Take these with you," his mother said, handing him a pair of green mittens. "I've been playing with blends of yarn and hopefully this one won't bother your skin so much."

Link took the mittens, thumbing the soft material and hoping she was right. "Thanks, Mom," he grinned, giving her a kiss on the cheek and a tight hug.

"Have fun with Kina, sweetheart," she beamed, ruffling his hair before watching him walk out the door.

Snow was still thick in the air when he went outside, but he saw Kina's yellow cloak and her gold Loftwing clearly when they landed by the Plaza. "The snow is crazy! I had to have an escort," she explained when Link arrived at her side. "My father is worried we won't have anyone in this afternoon. It's usually one of our busiest days."

"That means you can hang out with me longer," he said, knowing it would make Kina smile. She took his hand and they walked down the path to the dormitories, planning to stay inside until the festival started. Kina frowned when she saw Fledge in the room he shared with Link, so she dragged him upstairs to Karane and Zelda's room, wanting to see if either of them were planning anything fun.

"Parrow is working with Horwell, training one of the nestlings for the Wing Ceremony," she shrugged, not looking up from her knitting. "We'll hang out later. The romance feels forced on Ribbon Day so I'm not fussed if we don't go."

Link pressed his lips together. He felt the same, but he didn't want to disappoint Kina, who was sitting above him on Karane's bed stroking his hair. "What about Zelda and Pipit?" she asked.

Karane snickered. "I don't know where Zelda is, but she certainly can't complain about couples making out anymore."

"Had she been complaining?"

"She used to, though in her defense, she _did_ catch Parrow and I in here a few times."

"You can't go to Parrow's room?"

"No," Karane growled, throwing her knitting down and glaring angrily at the door before turning to Kina. "Every time we're in there, _Groose_ comes in and starts lifting weights and… _grunting_! Or at least that's what he was doing. Now when we go in there, he stares at us while we kiss. Just _stares_."

"That's weird," Kina said, though Link laughed to himself. Groose probably hadn't thought of doing that on his own, it actually sounded like something Zelda would suggest...

"I wish I knew where Zelda and Pipit go, I'd steal her spot," Karane muttered. "They're not at his house because Zelda was complaining she hasn't met Pipit's mother yet."

"I wonder why he hasn't taken her home. Your parents know Pipit's mom, Linky… why wouldn't he introduce her to Zelda?"

Kina looked down at him but Link shrugged drowsily. His parents did know Pipit's mom, though his mother never had anything nice to say about her, which was odd. She usually saw the good in everyone, but whenever someone mentioned Pipit's mother, her eyes narrowed a bit. Sort of the way Link's eyes narrowed when he thought of Zelda and Pipit kissing around the island. In fact, his stomach was twisting right now at the idea of seeing them in the square...

"Linky, are you alright?" Kina asked, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. "You look pale."

"I'm fine," he assured her. "I don't know why Pipit hasn't brought Zelda to meet his mom. I've met her before, she's nice enough."

"Maybe he's not that into her, or he doesn't see it lasting long…"

"Oh, he's _into_ her," Karane snickered. "He's into her _shirt_ , and her _bra_ … he might even be into her-

"Should we head up to the square? We could beat the crowd if there is one," Link interrupted, rising to his feet when his stomach gave a particularly violent lurch.

Kina considered this, then smiled, jumping up and giving Link a quick peck on the cheek. "All right. Let's not stay outside long though. It's freezing."

Link nodded, thinking he didn't want to be out in the square for long either, snow or not.

Kina was rubbing her hands together when they got outside, so Link gave her the mittens his mother had given him that morning. He was rubbing the thick lotion he had into his hands so he couldn't wear them anyway, plus he didn't want her to be cold. As they walked and he rubbed his hands together, Link thought what he'd really would be a pair of nice swordsman gloves. His father had some, but leather was scarce so he probably wouldn't get a set until he became a knight.

"You seem distracted, Linky. Why did we leave so suddenly?" Kina asked.

"I thought… you'd want to go to the square," Link mumbled. "Plus, if Parrow got done early, he'd find Karane and they'd want to do… whatever they... do together."

"Probably the same stuff we do when we're alone," she giggled, looping her arm through his and kissing his ear. Link felt warm all over and was certain he was blushing. Then she whispered "We could go back to your room. I bet Fledge would let us be alone."

Link swallowed and gave her a tremulous smile. He was still so nervous when they were alone together, he often did little more than put his hands on Kina's hips. Then, a week ago, Fledge had gone home to visit his mom for the day, and Kina had come to spend a few hours with him. They'd started kissing and just… kept going.

He'd slid his hands up her waist, stopping at her ribcage, then she'd sent him reeling by taking his hands and dragging them over her naked chest. Link had been riveted, but also frightened he'd gone too far. Kina then pushed him onto his back, straddling his hips and rocking hers down into Link's almost involuntary movements up. Link had stopped her hand at his belt because he knew too well what would happen if she touched him _there_ for long. Instead, he'd rolled her onto her side and coaxed her hands back into his hair, following her lead when she urged him to kiss down her neck to where his hands had been.

They didn't stop until there was a knock on the door, at which time Kina hastily arranged her shirt and Link shifted his clothing around until it hid how eager his body had become. He'd walked her awkwardly back to the platform a few minutes later, shuddering when she smirked and promised they'd do " _more_ " later.

It had been the first time Link felt he'd done something right. Not that Kina criticized him, but he was always in search of something they wanted to do together. So far kissing was the only thing...

When they arrived, the square was just starting to get crowded. Some couples were laughing, others were locked in tight embraces. There were a few people exchanging gifts, or taking the ribbons that hung from the flag lines and presenting them to potential love interests. Loftwings were circling overhead, keeping an eye on their partners and eyeing each other in some cases. Ribbon Day was the start of Loftwing mating season, which could last until fall if the birds were coy.

It was said to be a good omen if the Loftwings of a couple mated, but Link's parent's Loftwings had never managed to have an egg and their relationship was just fine.

"So, now that we're away from Karane, tell me the truth," Kina whispered, giving Link a conspiratorial look. " _Do_ you know why Pipit hasn't brought Zelda to meet his mother?"

Link wrinkled his nose. This was one thing he didn't like - Kina's fondness for gossip. She often told him about very private conversations she overheard during work. "I really don't," Link muttered. "Maybe he thinks it's because his mom already knows Zelda."

"She's come in to the restaurant before, I thought she seemed a little flighty. She adores Pipit, but she sure doesn't do much to take care of him," Kina said thoughtfully.

Link tipped his head. "He complains all the time about having to help her with stuff."

"That's because if he doesn't, it'll never get done," She explained, dropping her voice, eyes shifting around them to make sure no one was listening. "The other day, he was in talking with Parrow and Groose about how she barely brings in enough to pay for his tuition," Kina whispered. "And he was complaining that she never cleans anything, so he always has to bring his laundry to the Academy. Parrow said it was a trade off, because Pipit can do whatever he wants whenever he wants."

Link frowned. "Did they talk about Zelda and his mom?"

"No, just what kind of kisser- _why_ do you make that face anytime someone talks about Zelda kissing?"

Link froze, trying to make his face as neutral as possible. "What face?"

This face," she explained, scrunching up her nose and narrowing her eyes. "She's had a boyfriend for a while, Link. She's going to kiss him."

"I know. Zelda's just… not that kind of girl."

" _What_ kind of girl?"

"She doesn't like people talking about her," Link explained. "I don't tell anyone what _we_ do together."

"You... don't?"

"Of course not! I don't want—"

"Do you _ever_ talk about me?"

"I do," Link said, taking her hands in his. "Just not… stuff we do alone."

Kina frowned, glancing at the surrounding couples. "Are you going to kiss me here? There are a lot of people around."

Link winced, this wasn't going as he planned. She looked upset, though he didn't know if it was because he said he didn't talk about her, or because he made a face when someone mentioned Zelda kissing. He hoped it was the former because that was easily fixed.

"Hey," he murmured, taking her face in his hands and kissing her softly. She didn't respond, so he did it again. Thankfully this time she tilted her head and brought her hands up around his neck. Link pulled her close, hands sliding to her waist when she pulled back and gave him a soft smile.

"I made you something," he grinned, reaching into his pocket to pull out the Loftwing he'd carved. He'd painted it yellow just like her Loftwing, and spent time detailing the little pumpkin shaped charm she had on the harness.

Kina's face was blank as she turned the Loftwing over in her hands. "Wow, um… this is really nice. Thank you," she said, giving him a tight-lipped smile.

Link nodded, internally cursing himself. It had been a bad idea, but at the time he hadn't been able to think of anything else to give her. If he was clever like his mother, he would have thought of the music note instead of a stupid bird. "I just… I wanted to give you something. I-I'm working on something else for you too, but I haven't… finished it yet," he stumbled, trying to smile at her. "I'm sure you'll like better than a stupid- "

"No, I _like_ it," Kina said, still pursing her lips. "It's sweet you made me something."

Link smiled, leaning into kiss her again, wondering vaguely if she had anything for him. He stopped himself from asking though. If she did, she surely would have given it to him by now...

Kina took a breath, leaning close and nuzzling him softly. "I bet if we asked, Fledge would go study somewhere else…"

"He doesn't have anywhere else to go," Link replied. "The Congress is using the classroom today."

"What about Cawlin and Stritch's room?"

"They pick on him."

Kina sighed, looking disappointed. Link squeezed her tighter, sliding a hand up to her cheek again, but she pulled away, frowning.

"I probably should go," she mumbled, looking at the sky. "It's getting close to noon, and that's when people start coming in. My dad wants me back before it gets busy. And the snow is getting thicker. It makes me nervous to fly when it's snowy."

"Alright," Link replied, hands still lingering at her waist. "What time do you get done? I could come over and see you."

"It'll be late," she sighed. "But… I can come visit you tomorrow? We can find a quiet place to sit and... talk."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Link kissed her nose, giving her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. Kina just sighed and gave him a quick peck on the lips before squeezing his hand.

"Bye, Link," she mumbled, turning over her shoulder and whistling for her Loftwing. They yellow bird swooped down, resolutely ignoring Link as Kina climbed on her back. The bird let out a low screech, then lifted into the snow filled air, flying in a wide arc around the square before turning towards Pumpkin Island. Link followed from the ground, walking onto the Plaza platform with a frown on his face.

It was still at least an hour before noon, the sun's position in the sky told him that much. Kina had left because he upset her. Lately Link felt like he was always doing things to upset her.

"Hey, Link!"

Link whirled around, unsure where he was being called from. "Up here!"

Link looked up to see Pipit peering over the edge of the Light Tower. He frowned as he climbed up the ladder, wondering why Pipit was up there when he could be down in the square kissing-

" _Hey_!" Zelda beamed when he arrived at the top of the ladder. Pipit was leaning up against one of the chocks, Zelda curled under his arm. Her nose and cheeks were pink from the cold, and Link thought it cruel of Pipit to keep her out in this weather.

"What are you… doing up here?" Link asked, though _really_ didn't want to know.

"Watching everyone. We saw you and Kina down there," Pipit said.

"Yeah, where'd she go?" asked Zelda. "Her bird flew by just now."

"She left because of the snow," Link said flatly, heat rising in his chest when he noticed Pipit's hand on Zelda's hip. "And she had to work. She said the restaurant gets real busy today."

"Oh, I bet," Zelda agreed. "Especially if the snow lets up. Your dad said they might put a flight restriction out though."

"You talked to my dad?"

"He caught us up here earlier, said to make sure we don't get too cold. I told him we'd keep warm," Pipit grinned, pulling Zelda (who _giggled_ ) closer to him. He turned and kissed her on the forehead, and Zelda smiled, her face somewhat obscured by Pipit's puffy coat.

"Yeah, well… It's cold. I'm going back in," Link muttered, starting to climb down the ladder. Zelda sat up then, a worried expression on her face.

"Kina made it back okay," she told him. "One of the Knights flew with her all the way to Pumpkin Island."

"That's good," Link mumbled, descending another rung.

"Did you guys do anything together earlier?"

"No, just… in the square. I gave her a Loftwing."

"Nice," Pipit smiled.

"Did she give you anything?" Zelda asked.

Link frowned. "Nah, but it's fine. She said she'd come over tomorrow since she doesn't have to work."

"She should have given you _something_ ," Zelda pouted. Link nodded, thinking about all the gifts Zelda had given him over the years. Books, little pillows when she knitted, so many shirts he'd lost count…

"Maybe she will tomorrow," Link replied, continuing his descent. Zelda and Pipit peered over the edge at him, Pipit curious and Zelda frowning.

"See ya," Link murmured, waving at them before shoving his hands in his pockets (Kina still had his mittens) and walking back towards the dorms.

* * *

Kina didn't give Link a gift the next day, but she spent the whole day on the island. It was nice to have her around, but they didn't _do_ anything. They spent a few hours in his room kissing, with Kina encouraging Link's hands up her shirt and over her thighs. Link enjoyed it, he liked having her skin under his fingertips, and she made delightful little sighing noises, but still couldn't help but feel this was the only thing Kina liked doing with him.

"She doesn't like to go flying or do... anything. Every time we hang out she only wants to kiss me," he told Fledge later. "Which I like, don't get me wrong, but we never… _talk_."

"Zelda talks all the time. Maybe-

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"I guess it wouldn't be," Fledge said. "It would save you from trying to fill the space."

"That's what I feel like," Link said. "I'm always trying to fill the space. I don't know," he grumbled, fussing with the hair at the back of his head. "It's gotta be me, it can't be her. I wonder if I should - "

A knock at the door cut him off, and Link rose from his bed to answer it, startling backwards when Zelda almost bowled him over in her rush to enter.

" _I finished it_!" she exclaimed, shoving a large blanket in his face. "I finished a _whole_ blanket!"

Link laughed, warmth in his chest and belly as he watched Zelda bounce on her toes, hair floating around her face. "Congratulations," he grinned, holding it up the blanket for examination. It was a motley mix of colors: dark and light green, sky blue, pink, purple, orange and red…

"Why… didn't you use all the same color?"

"I didn't realize how much yarn I'd need and I kept running out," she explained. "But if I waited until I got more, I'd never finish it, so I kept going with whatever I had."

Link smiled, eyes wide as he looked over her creation. She was so excited at having completed a project he wouldn't dare tell her how hideous it looked. "It's great, Zelda."

She beamed at him and took the blanket back. "I've got to go show it to Pipit yet, but I wanted to ask - did Kina ever give you something?"

Link shook his head. "Nah, but it's not a big deal. We hung out for a long time the other day."

"Doing what?"

"Just… hanging out."

"Did you go flying?"

"It's too cold, and she doesn't really like flying."

Zelda frowned. "That's too bad, perhaps she's nervous. I bet if you fly with her this spring you can get her to like it more. We could all go together!"

"Yeah, maybe," Link said, ruffling his hair and thinking Kina probably would want to be alone with him, and Link wasn't exactly keen to watch Zelda and Pipit make out with each other.

"She told me you made her a set of musical notes," Zelda added with a smirk. "Very clever, Link."

"My mom gave me the idea."

Zelda laughed. "Well, either way. She really liked those."

"Right…"

Zelda sighed, a pouty look on her face.. Link had the horrible urge to run his thumb over her lower lip before sliding his fingers into her hair and-

"Do you guys talk about the history class we're taking?" She asked. "She's really into mythology. I could loan you the book Owlan gave me for my birthday, I still haven't read it."

Link nodded, wrenching himself off the path his thoughts had taken. "Yeah, that… that would help me out a lot," he admitted. "I was just saying I feel like we never talk."

"I know how quiet you are," she sighed, reaching forward to put a hand on his shoulder. Link's stomach clenched. "You just need to find something the two of you like."

"What do you and Pipit talk about?"

Zelda flushed, pushing her hair behind her ears and shrugging. "Stuff. We talk about the things we did as kids, and how much we used to fight. He talks about the Wing Ceremony, he's really nervous." She fidgeted with the blanket and chewed her lip. "We just… hang out sometimes, too."

Link fought to keep his face neutral as his stomach started doing horrible flips. He didn't understand why. He shouldn't be jealous. He had Kina, he _liked_ Kina. Perhaps Zelda knew what would make her happy.

"I never do anything right with her," Link blurted, startling Zelda. "We can never find something to do together except… hang out. And she wants me to… try things with her, but I have _no idea_ what I'm doing, or what she'd like," he babbled, running a hand through his hair.

Zelda frowned at him, still fiddling with her blanket. "Do you try things?" Link went on uncontrollably. "What do _you_ like?"

She blinked at him with widening eyes, then Link grimaced. As soon as he heard the words, Link realized what he was _asking_.

His face grew hot, and the urge to fling himself through the window seized him round the belly. It wouldn't work though, he was much bigger now than he had been when he crawled through Zelda's window that one time.

"Well, um… I…" she stammered, eyes wide as a blush spread across her features. "I um… she probably just wants to know you _like_ her, Link."

Zelda twisted her fingers, pink across her cheeks and through her ears. "Everyone likes different things, right?" she laughed nervously, wincing when Link continued staring at her, still frozen in horror. "I don't— I guess I could ask her _for_ you or- "

" _DON'T_!" Link shouted, waving his hands in protest. "No, don't. It's okay. I'll… I-I shouldn't have asked that. I can figure this out, I'll… figure it out." Zelda smiled. "Of course you will. Link, you learn things _ridiculously_ fast. Kina says you're a great kisser, so you figured that out. You'll figure out… other stuff."

She flushed brighter, then coughed awkwardly and fussed with the blanket again. "Anyway, I should go show this to Pipit. He was teasing me a few weeks ago saying I couldn't call such a small square a blanket. I want to show him how big I made it."

Link nodded. "Yeah, sure. Thanks for showing it to me. I'm… proud of you?" he laughed.

Zelda beamed again before pulling him into a hug, the smell and feel of her making Link's stomach swoop down to his knees.

"Thanks, Link," she beamed, squeezing him again before turning over her shoulder and flitting out the door. Link took a deep breath, then turned back to his bed, flopping onto the mattress with a heavy sigh.

Fledge stared at Link, eyes wide in confusion. "Maybe… maybe you should ask Kina what she likes…"

Link groaned, dragging both his hands over his face. Zelda's perfume lingered on his sleeves, causing guilt and shame swirling in his chest when his body twitched at the scent. "Yeah… I'll have to do that."

* * *

Kina's father started scheduling longer hours. Patrons were frequenting the restaurant more often as it got warmer, so they barely saw each other the next week. By the time she had a few hours for a longer visit, Link had lost his nerve and was back to where he'd been before Zelda came and talked to him.

"You like me, right?" Kina asked him after he'd spent forty minutes kissing her and putting his hands precisely where she showed him. Link's head hurt, he was so confused. It should have been obvious he liked her, there were obvious signs he liked what they were doing, or at least _he_ thought they were obvious signs.

" _Yes_ ," he assured her, pressing his lips against her cheekbone. "I do, Kina. Listen, let's go do something. I was flying yesterday afternoon and there's an island west of here with a pretty waterfall and a cave that - "

"A _cave_?" she scoffed. "That sounds fun."

Link winced. "Or… not. Would you like to go on a walk?"

Kina sighed, looking defeated, but she stood when Link did and laced her fingers through his. They walked around the island for a long time, Link trying and failing to engage her in conversation. He'd never been good at it, Zelda always led him. He'd started to wonder if his long friendship with Zelda had stunted his conversational skills. The idea made his stomach twist, and he fell quiet until he and Kina said goodbye to each other for the day.

"You look upset, Link," His father noticed when Link stopped in that afternoon. He was working on detailing the wings of a very large wingcrest figure. There was a preciseness to his father's movements that Link had yet to learn. His father was good at many things Link hadn't ever been able to pick up, despite what Zelda said about him being a fast learner.

"What did you and mom used to do together?" he asked. "Before you were married."

"We took lots of walks. I got up every morning to run with her even though I hated it."

"Why'd you do it?"

"Because I liked her so much I wanted to spend every second with her," his father laughed. "Kind of how you want to spend every minute with Kina."

Link made a face, tossing a woodchip he'd been holding across the yard. His father frowned. "Or… you _don't_ want to spend every minute with Kina."

"I get bored. I can't find anything to talk to her about. All she wants to do most of the time is…" Link paused, wondering if he should be telling his dad how often he'd been kissing Kina.

His father frowned, setting his tools on the table so he could turn and face Link. "You don't like kissing her?"

"No, I do!" Link said emphatically. "I do! I like it a lot it's just… not _all_ I want to do."

His father was blank, but Link could see a tension in his eyes. "You want to do… _more_?"

Link went red in the face, hiding it by jumping off the bench to fiddle with a blank piece of wood his father had sitting in the corner. "Not exactly."

His father laughed and Link bristled, turning over his shoulder and crossing his arms. "I'm not laughing _at_ you, Link. Now and then you remind me of my brother and it's… a little startling."

"How so?"

"Ugo had a girlfriend for a long time, but they were never… close. He told me all the time how he much he liked her, and how nice she was, but he..." his father shrugged. "Ugo was never with anyone unless there was a strong connection between them. They had nothing in common and it just fluttered out."

Link frowned. "But you and mom don't have anything in common. She's quiet, you're not. She's shy, you're a Knight. You said you ran with her... and you hated it. She loves running."

"It looks that way, but if you look closer, you see something different. Your mom and I have shared experiences," he explained. "We both grew up feeling like outsiders. We laugh at the same things. I may not enjoy running, but I do it for her. Your mother has never had an interest in learning anything related to being a Knight, but she knows it's important to me and wants to be part of that."

His father sighed, smiling at Link before going on. "Our differences make me love her more. She's thoughtful and tempered, I was impulsive and a bit reckless. She helped me learn not to be. We complement each other, but most importantly, we _wanted_ each other. We found things in common because we wanted to."

Link considered this, cataloguing the things he liked about Kina. She was sweet and kind. He liked how she sang to him and played with his hair, and he did like kissing her… certainly he could find something in common with her, or put in more effort into liking the things she did.

"You should talk to Kina," His father suggested. "Tell her how you feel. That's always the best choice, and it's what I always did with your mom."

"I wish it was that easy."

His father laughed. "I can't tell you it was easy for me, but as I said, I was so impulsive when I was younger I did it, anyway."

Link nodded, giving his father a half smile. "Thanks, Dad."

His father grinned and messed his hair, chuckling when Link pushed him off playfully. They shoved each other a few times then Link left, laughing as he walked towards the Plaza platform. He knew Kina was working, but it mid-afternoon and the crowd usually wasn't so big at this time. Link figured he could pull her aside, explain what he'd been thinking the last few weeks. _Kina, I like you. I like kissing you, and I like it when you sing and play with my hair. I want to hang out with you more, and I want…_

What _did_ he want?

The Crimson Loftwing swooped down from the sky, shaking off his feathers and covering Link with a light coat of dust. "What have you been _doing_?" Link grimaced, brushing off his clothes and picking grass off the bird's harness. His Loftwing squawked and shook again, looking puffier than normal.

"Stop that. I'm nervous enough," Link mumbled, settling in on the bird's back. "I don't need you making me dirty."

His bird chuffed, sounding worried, but Link just sighed and squeezed his knees in tighter, thinking of the sky and Pumpkin Landing as the Loftwing spread his wings and launched into the sky. Kina's father was outside when he landed, a giant tureen of pumpkin soup sitting next to him.

"Well hey, Link," Pumm greeted him.

Link smiled awkwardly, eyes on the tureen of soup. Sir Albertos and Sir Heron were hooking chains on to their Loftwing's harnesses, then attaching them to the container between them. "What's that?"

"Oh, nothin' much. Just an offering to Levias. Kina is inside," he said, gesturing over his shoulder. "She's been off for a few hours, so she's not busy."

"Oh," Link frowned. Kina told him she had to work all day. "I'll just… go…"

Pumm nodded, smiling fondly at Link. He left his Loftwing by the edge of the island and walked towards the door. The bird squawked at him, but he shrugged it off and walked into the building.

The restaurant wasn't busy, but there were a few patrons scattered at various tables. He saw Rusta talking with Eagus in one corner and his father's friend Jay in another. Jay was Jakamar's father, and he had little Kukiel on his shoulders as he talked with Peatrice's dad. Kukiel beamed when she saw Link, waving a tiny hand at him from across the room.

"When will you come and play again?"

Link was about to reply "soon", but he was distracted then by Groose, who he knew to be a fan of the Pumpkin Soup Kina's father made. He was standing in the corner, hidden behind one of the large wooden pillars, hunched over awkwardly. It confused Link, so he stepped closer to the table where Kukiel was waving at him to see —

That Goose had gained a taste for more than pumpkin soup.

Kina's arms were around his neck, his hands around her waist - no, her _hips_ now that Link looked closer. His ears felt hot and his stomach lurched forward, though he stayed rooted to the spot. Kina tipped her head and drew her hands over Groose's jaw, pulling him closer, the latter letting out a low laugh as she did. Part of Link urged him to turn and walk out, but another part demanded he walk forward and punch Groose across the face like Zelda had a few years ago.

"You... okay, Link?" Jay asked quietly. When Link didn't respon, Jay followed his shocked gaze to where Kina and Groose were standing, grimacing when he made the connection. Peatrice's father did the same, and then for some horrible reason, he started _laughing_.

"That _your_ girl?" he asked, gesturing with his thumb to Kina.

"Er…"

" _Well_ ," Peatrice's father chortled. "Be sure to tell your _dad_ about this. Make sure he knows what it's like to have a girl snatched from you. He did that to me with your mom."

Jay frowned at Peatrice's father. "That's not how it- "

"Linky, when are you going to come _play_ with me?" Kukiel demanded, tired of being ignored. She seized Link's arm and shook him at the same time Kina wrenched apart from Groose, eyes wide as she stared at Link. His chest burned, the earlier urges he'd felt raging a war inside him.

Surprisingly, the urge to walk away won.

"Uh, soon," Link said, giving Kukiel a wavering smile. "Yeah… soon."

Kina pushed Groose away from her and Link noticed Groose was smirking at him as he wiped his mouth. Link turned on his heel and walked as fast as he could out the door, swearing to rival his father by the time he got outside. The thought of his father made his stomach twist as he climbed on his Loftwing, who was thankfully still perched on the platform, almost as if he'd known this was going to happen.

"Link, _wait_ ," Kina called, bursting through the door after him. "Let me explain- "

Link grimaced, gripping his Loftwing's harness tighter. He had no desire to look at her, let alone talk to her. His bird sensed this and roared in her direction when she came too close. The last thing Link saw before he lifted into the sky was Kina's tormented face and her hands twisting in front of her waist. It was then Link remembered she still had the mittens his mother made him. He scowled and pushed his Loftwing to fly faster. She could make him a new pair, Link didn't want the others back.

The Crimson Loftwing had Link back on Skyloft in under a minute, trilling quietly when he dismounted. Link gripped his feathers, mind a tangled mess of thoughts and chest burning with anger.

"Link?"

His father called to him, walking quickly over to the Plaza where Link was standing. "That didn't take— what happened?"

Link's thoughts found their focus, settling on the words Peatrice's father said. _Be sure to tell your dad about this. Make sure he knows what it's like to have a girl snatched from you._

Link growled, checking his dad with his shoulder as he passed. It was all a lie. All that talk about finding things in common with his mother, about them complementing each other... The truth was he had _stolen_ her from someone else. Swept in with his smug smiles and charming words just like _Pipit_ had with-

" _Hey_ ," His father said, grabbing him by the arm as he stormed off. "Link, tell me what- "

"You tell me what happened!" Link snapped, wrenching out of his grasp. "You're as bad as he is!"

"Who?"

" _Groose_! I saw him in there… _kissing her_! They were…" Link raked a hand through his hair, so angry at the memory of it he had to fight down an urge to punch the bench closest to him.

His father blinked in surprise, then exhaled slowly, releasing Link's arm and adopting a concerned look. "That… must have been shocking. Did you talk- "

"I didn't want to talk to her," Link growled, wanting none of his concern or his sympathy. "And I don't want to talk to _you_!"

"Link, what hap- "

" _You stole mom_! She was with someone else, she even told me! She was dating someone, and you came along and… _stole_ her!"

Link's father frowned. "Who told you that?"

"Does it matter? Did it happen or not?"

"Link, that's not what- "

"Whatever. It's the same thing. She was with someone.. and- and you took her… just like _he_ did," Link grumbled, unsure if he was thinking of Groose or Pipit. It had to be Groose because Zelda had never been his to begin with...

Link pulled away when his father reached for him again, storming down the path from the Plaza. He thought of going home, but his mom would be there and he didn't want to see her. He didn't want to see either of them.

How many people had they hurt to be together? Had his mom _liked_ Peatrice's father? If not, why had she gone out with him? She'd said something about having a ridiculous crush on his father… if that was the case, why hadn't they been together from the start? Did his father not want her until someone else did? That didn't seem fair.

Link paced back and forth in front of the one-eyed bird statue, thinking back on the lies he'd been told about how sweet his parents were, then picturing Kina's arms around Groose's neck. How long had _that_ been going on? It had been strained between them for a few weeks, but it was because she was working so much and Link couldn't see her. What had he done? He'd done everything he could to try to make her happy: listened to her, given her little gifts, let her snuggle on him and snuggled her back...

He'd done everything he always had with Zelda, but it wasn't enough. For either of them.

Eventually he made his way to broken windmill, his favorite spot on the whole island. The Crimson Loftwing was sweeping low circles around the clouds in front of Link, wanting to be close in case he needed him. It was comforting to have him close, and Link's thoughts slowed while watching the bird, changing from angry ramblings to curious questions. Mostly a single one: Why?

"Hey Link."

Link turned over his shoulder, surprised to see Pipit and Zelda behind him. Zelda looked distressed, eyes wide and hands fisted at her sides. Pipit hopped onto the ledge of the windmill with him, legs facing inward towards the island while Link faced out, ready to jump if needed.

"We… um… saw Groose."

"Oh, yeah?" Link laughed humorlessly. "What did he have to say?"

"He announced he was going out with Kina, so we assumed you'd broken up," Pipit mumbled. "Sorry, man."

Link scoffed, and at the sound Zelda came closer. "When did you guys break up?"

"When Groose kissed her," Link grumbled, pitching a hand full of grass he had in his hand into the sky.

Silence followed. Link noticed Pipit glancing from him to Zelda the back again, expression slightly alarmed. A second later, Zelda huffed and stomped her foot on the ground. "She _what_?"

"He kissed her."

"Was it before or after- "

"Before."

Pipit's eyes went wider, and Link could feel Zelda tense behind him. "She kissed him _before_ breaking up with you? She… she…"

"Zelda, don't - " Pipit warned, and Link turned to see him chase after her as she stormed down the path. Pipit caught her by the arm, but she threw him off and continued walking. Link hopped off the edge of the windmill, jogging to catch up with them, curious as to why Zelda was so incensed.

Pipit had jumped in front of Zelda to block her now.. "We don't know- "

"Oh, I know _enough_! I know that that _girl_ hauled off and kissed that big buffoon while she was still going out with him!" She shouted, gesturing wildly at Link. "She didn't have the decency or respect to break it off after _every_ \- "

"Maybe it was a mist- "

"A _mistake_?!" Zelda shrieked. "Did she trip and ended up against Groose's mouth? Don't give me that. I ought to go over there and- "

"Don't," Link mumbled, eyes fixed on the ground.

Zelda huffed again and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why not?"

"Because it won't change anything." Link watched as Zelda pressed her lips together, still visibly enraged. She sighed heavily and scuffed the ground.

"Fine. Only because you asked me not to, Link. But I won't promise not to throw her off the island if I see her soon."

Link laughed to himself and nodded. Pipit was giving Zelda a strange look, then he frowned and looked back to Link. "You wanna talk?"

Link shook his head. "I just want to be alone."

Pipit nodded, giving him a hard pat on the back before turning away. Zelda hung back for a moment before reaching out to Link. He shook his head at her, and she pouted before giving him a single nod. Link watched her turn to follow Pipit, then he returned to his perch by the windmill, wondering how long until the whole village knew Kina and Groose had started dating and Link was a laughingstock for not being able to keep a girl interested in him.

The sun had started to sink below the clouds when he felt a soft hand at his shoulder. His mother climbed up next to him, surprising Link by throwing her legs over the edge so she faced outward. She'd always hated the broken windmill and hated when Link played by it. There was silence between them, Link brooding while his mother stared at the horizon where his Loftwing was hovering.

"I can see why you like it here," she said after a while. When Link didn't reply, she went on. "You should go to the top of the skyfall. Have you ever jumped off it into the pond?"

Link shook his head and she smiled. "You should try it. It's more fun than you think. Your dad was the first one to convince me to do it. Aya tried for years, but Orel was the one who finally convinced me it was safe."

At the mention of his father's name, Link bristled and slid away from her. She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. "Link I want you to tell me what Peater told you."

"You already know."

"Oh, do I?" she laughed. "And you're so convinced he told you the truth. This man you barely know- you'll believe him over your dad? Or me?"

"He didn't tell me a story or anything. Just said to make sure dad knew how I felt having a girl taken from me. He said…" Link scowled and avoided his mother's concerned gaze. "He said dad stole you from him."

"Yes, because I'm a _thing_ for your father to steal instead of a person capable of making my own decisions."

Link chewed his lip, he hadn't looked at it from that angle. "So, um… what did happen?"

"I was dating Peater, and I liked him but… I wasn't happy. I still had a crush on your father - "

"Why weren't you with _him_ then?"

"Oh, Link," She laughed. "I could give you a laundry list of reasons, but none of them are good. I was sixteen, he seemed unattainable, and Peater was just there and... he liked me. Well, he liked what he _thought_ I was, which was a pretty thing to hang off his arm. He treated Eve the same way to an extent, and he does the same with Peatrice."

"Why did he say dad stole you?"

"I played the Goddess that year, and your father won the Wing Ceremony. When we were up on the statue, he told me I was beautiful and that he couldn't stop thinking about me. Later on after he received his uniform, we were talking because of what he'd said, and he called me Little Dove. I just..."

Link's mother was blushing now, and Link thought back to the few times he'd heard his father call her that. It wasn't often, he saved it for times she needed a boost of confidence or when there was a deep moment of affection between them. She took a breath and went on.

"I was already thinking about breaking it off with Peater, but I felt guilty. Aya asked me, "Do you want the boy who thinks you're a trinket, or do you want the boy who calls you Little Dove?" I broke up with Peater that night, and your dad and I started dating two days later."

Link let out a long exhale and turned to where Pumpkin Landing was. "So dad didn't steal you…"

"Again," his mother said, an edge to her voice. "I am not a thing to be stolen. And neither is Kina for that matter."

"That makes it worse," Link muttered. "To think she did this."

She sighed. "Link, you two are _sixteen_. I don't know what happened, especially because she seemed to like you so much. But whatever it was, it certainly wasn't your fault."

"She tried to run out and talk to me."

"I know. Jay told me when he stopped by," his mom explained. "He was looking for your dad but he told me everything that happened. Your dad stopped in before he left on Patrol. He was very upset, Link."

"Probably because I yelled at him."

"He's not mad," she assured him. "He did feel guilty about Peater, we both did, but there was no reason for me to stay with him if I wasn't happy. Your dad broke up with a girl after he realized he was thinking about me while kissing her," she added.

Link grimaced, recalling all the times he'd been making out with Kina and wishing he was with Zelda. But Zelda was with Pipit now…

"I'm so sorry, Link," she sighed, putting her arm around his back. "Do you want me to make you pancakes?"

Link laughed and shook his head. "No, that's… thanks, mom."

"You should talk to your dad."

"I will," Link said, thinking he'd have to remember to get his gloves back from Kina the next time he saw her.

* * *

The snow had started to melt finally and they were able to head outside for training insted of being stuck in the Sparring Hall. Link was poised across from Fledge and Pipit, working on shield techniques and enjoying the resurgence of warmth in the air when Zelda found him.

"Link?" she said, sounding sheepish. Link looked up, a lift in his chest. He smiled at her, thinking it strange when Pipit shuffled uncomfortably behind Fledge.

"Um… Kina is here," Zelda explained, gesturing over her shoulder. "She wants to talk to you. I told her you were busy, but…" she took a deep breath then exhaled slowly. "You should talk to her, if you want."

Link narrowed his eyebrows, curious why she wanted to see him. It had been two weeks since they broke up. He wasn't angry, but he still had no desire to talk to her. Link tugged his tunic on over his head and walked past Zelda, expecting her to stay since Pipit was in the yard, but instead she turned and walked with him.

"What does she want?"

Zelda pressed her lips together. "I will let you talk to her, Link."

He nodded, wondering why Zelda seemed so tense. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she clipped, then she exhaled again and lowered her eyes. "You should know, I didn't have very nice things to say to her."

Link grimaced. "That probably wasn't necessary."

"Yes, but I couldn't help it. She hurt you."

"I'm okay now."

"Still."

Link laughed under his breath, and Zelda smiled when he did. "Good luck," she sighed then, turning off the path he was walking and heading towards the Isle of the Goddess. Link walked to where Kina was sitting by the Bazaar. She jumped up when she saw him.

"Hi," she breathed, hands held primly in front of her waist. "How are you?"

Link shrugged, he didn't have anything to say. Kina ground her toe into the stone under her feet. "Link, I um… I owe you an apology. That was… it was horrible of me. I… it just sort of… happened."

Link nodded, not caring to hear her reasons. After talking with Fledge, Link had concluded the two of them were just different, and she had wanted more from Link than he was ready to give, or wanted to give perhaps. Maybe Groose could be what she wanted. Either way, he was happier now than he had been since Ribbon Day, maybe even before that.

"You should know that… well, I broke it off with Groose. It wasn't… he…" she stammered, rocking back and forth on her feet. "Link, you were so sweet and I know… I should have realized how shy you are. That's not a bad thing. I was too— I liked you a lot. I still do. I should have talked to you like Zelda said when she- "

"There was obviously a reason you couldn't talk to me," Link shrugged. "We never talked."

"I know. But… we're talking _now_ ," she added hopefully.

Link scuffed the ground with his foot. "Yeah, but... I have nothing to say."

Kina sighed, looking disappointed but understanding. "I guess… I'll see you around then."

Link nodded. "I'll see you around."

Kina gave him a sad little smile then turned back towards the Bazaar and walked away. Link stood on the spot for a minute before turning and walked back to the Sparring Hall, thinking he should probably avoid Groose since he'd been ditched after such a short time.

"How'd that go?" Pipit asked when Link picked up his shield again. Link shrugged, not really knowing how to describe it. "You know she broke up with Groose."

"Yeah, she told me."

Pipit nodded, blue eyes studying Link. "You don't want- "

"No, I don't think I do."

Link hooked his shield over his arm then, looking at Fledge who was holding a sword. He had a pained look on his face, frowning as he looked between Link and Pipit.

" _Everyone_ is breaking up," he said. "Karane and Parrow, You and Kina, Groose and Kina, you and Zelda…"

Pipit made a face. "Aren't you the gossip- "

"You broke up with Zelda?" Link asked, shocked by this news. "When? _Why_?"

"A few days ago," Pipit shrugged. "I've got to focus on getting ready for the Wing Ceremony."

"You… wing… _what_?"

Pipit sighed. "Look, Zelda is great, but she's... distracting. I have to focus. I'm taking a job as night patrol. Eagus is giving me extra lessons so I can be a Master Swordsman, and I'm flying more often for practice. Your dad-"

"What does this have to do with Zelda?" Link snapped.

"She's distracting," Pipit repeated. "I need to do all these things, but then I have to spend time with her. There's not enough room for it all. I figured— _hey_!"

Pipit stumbled a few steps back when Link pushed him with his shield, understanding why Zelda had been so incensed on his behalf. "That's a lame reason to ditch someone," Link growled. "It's not as though you didn't know about the Wing Ceremony years ago. Why- "

" _Jeez_ , Link," Pipit muttered as he got to his feet. "You're taking it worse than she did."

"If you made her cry, I swear I'll throw-"

"She didn't… _cry_ ," Pipit mumbled, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I mean, at least I don't think- Link, hey! We're supposed to be doing shield drills for- "

"Take your stupid shield and go jump!" Link snapped as he ran up the crates stacked by the bridge. He hoped over the railing and stalked up the stairs to the Isle of the Goddess where Zelda had gone, halfway running up the stairs so he was panting by the time he got into the yard.

Zelda was beside one of the taller trees, curled against her Loftwing with a large book on her lap. She looked up as he approached, a wary smile on her face.

"How'd it go?"

"Pipit broke up with you?"

"Oh," she said, startled by the abrupt change in topic. "Yeah, day before last."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Zelda grimaced. "I guess… I didn't think you'd care."

"Of course I care! That was a stupid reason to ditch someone. Who does he think he is? It's not like - "

"Link, I was fine with it," she laughed, adjusting the blanket she'd knit around her legs. "I mean, it hurt… but we weren't," she mumbled, considering her words. "It wasn't like I was going to marry him."

"You could have."

"Uh, no I couldn't," she laughed. "He wouldn't even introduce me to his mother. And yeah, we hung out and stuff, but we still fought _all_ the time. We're both too opinionated. He says I think I'm always right and it - "

"Most of the time you are."

Zelda froze and her ears turned red. She tucked her hair behind her ears and snuggled closer to Blue. "I'm not always right."

"Still, he's dumb," Link muttered. "I'm sorry."

Zelda shrugged. "Are you back with Kina?"

"No."

"Good."

"Why?"

"Because you guys weren't compatible. She knew nothing about you, and she doesn't like any of the things you do. And she called you that _stupid_ nickname."

Link laughed. "Yeah, I hated that. And I should have known a while ago we had nothing in common."

"Well, in your defense, being kissed is pretty great."

Link scrunched his nose up, but gave Zelda an acquiescing nod. "What are you reading?"

"The book Owlan got me for my birthday," she grinned, motioning for him to sit beside her. "It's all kinds of essays people have written on the old stories we tell about Hylia and the island. Look who wrote this one."

She pointed the bottom of the page and printed there was his uncle's name in untidy letters. " _Woah_ ," he gasped, flipping through pages, catching Zelda's father's name as well as his parents'. "Is this all the papers ever written by students?"

"No, just a few that got high marks or made them change course material. My mom has three essays in here," she said, turning a few pages back and showing him an essay entitled " _Hylia's Wishes_."

"This one is about how the Goddess never intended us to stay on Skyloft forever. My mom thought someday, something call all of us back to the surface. She believed it was there too."

Link smiled, watching Zelda trace the words with a slender finger. He realized then how much he'd missed her the past months. They'd seen each other in class and talked in the hallways, but they hadn't sat together like this in so long. "I missed you."

"Yeah, I missed you too," she said, tone playful but stern. "Let's not do this again, okay? I don't know what happened, but… I think it's best if we check in with each other more, you know? Be honest about what's going on, so we don't end up— just tell me the truth next time, okay? Will you do that, Link?"

Link nodded, smirking at Zelda's flushed cheeks and the red tips of her ears. His stomach was fluttering, heart beating faster in his chest.

"You want me to tell you the truth?" Link murmured a few seconds later.

"Yes, please."

Link held up the multicolored blanket, pointing to an orange section. "This blanket? It's hideous."

Zelda laughed and swatted him on the arm. "Shut up! It's my favorite blanket now."

"It's still ugly."

"I made it all on my own!"

"I know," he grinned. "And I'm proud of you. But it's still -"

"Yeah, I know it's ugly, but it's _my_ ugly blanket okay?" she laughed, shoving him. "It was supposed to be yours. I used that thread your mom makes, thinking it would be nice for you to have a blanket that didn't make you itch."

Link smiled, hiding his face under the blanket as it slowly got redder. Zelda looked at him, blue eyes bright and a warm, a playful grin on her face. "It would be nice, just don't make me an ugly one."

She swatted him again then laughed, snuggling into his shoulder and calling his attention back to the book spread across both their legs.

* * *

Spring arrived, and snows gave way to frequent rains and squalls that blew viciously across the island. The squalls grounded Knights and citizens alike due to wind shear, and there was little they could do to warn people before they hit.

"We send someone out a few miles from the island on each side to watch the clouds," Link's father explained to him one afternoon when he'd stopped in. "It's the only way we have to see anything coming. Spring storms bring a lot of lightning, and skytails love the rain so it gets dangerous out there this time of year."

"You're not doing any extra flying right now, are you, Link?" his mother asked.

"No," he said. "But Pipit and Parrow are, they're training for the Wing Ceremony."

His father frowned. "I understand the urge, but tell them to watch it. I thought of putting a restriction out the other day when the lightning got bad to the east, but Corvus talked me out of it."

Link nodded, making a mental note to tell Pipit about it when he saw him next. Pipit was still at the Academy a lot even though he and Zelda weren't dating. It had taken a week or so, but Link had gotten over his anger at Pipit for ditching Zelda, mostly because she seemed indifferent to it and things were back to normal between them.

Well, mostly back to normal.

Their interactions had taken on a much more playful tone. Zelda had gone back to looping her arm through Link's when they were sitting or walking, but she'd started teased him more about his blushing and his tendency to daydream, smiling fondly each time she did. Link never missed an opportunity to tease her back though, like right now when he was watching her struggle to reach one of the bows stuck high on the archery rack.

"Need help?"

"No, I can get it."

"Are you sure?" he asked, reaching over her to easily lift the bow from the rack. "If you were just a few inches taller…"

Zelda looked at him, blue eyes bright and an awed smile working its way across her lips. Link had spent a large amount of time staring at her lately, thinking about being honest and telling her the truth as she'd asked. He hadn't figured out a clever way to say, "I think you're beautiful and I want to kiss you," just yet, but he was slowly working up to it.

She was particularly alluring right now, with slightly damp hair from running through the heavy rain that had just started. "Since when are you taller than I am?" she asked, a laugh bubbling in her throat.

"Since last summer."

"It's not by much," she noted, stepping very close to him. "My nose is almost level with yours."

"Almost."

"Don't sound so smug about it," she giggled.

"I can reach bows you can't. Why shouldn't I be smug?"

"It's unattractive."

 _You're_ _attractive_ , Link thought, though he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. Zelda was grinning, eyes mischievous, and everything inside Link told him to lean in. Just _lean_ _in_ and-

There was a commotion outside the Sparring Hall. People shouting commands or bellowing at each other, Link wasn't sure. Eagus peaked his head up from his desk, curious about the noise. Zelda turned too, much to Link's chagrin. He'd gotten so close to her he could have -

The doors to the Hall opened, revealing a drenched Sir Albertos who was panting heavily and looking pale. " _Eagus_!" He shouted, causing everyone lingering around the Hall to look up. "By the Windmill. _Now_."

Eagus leapt from his desk and took off running into the rain. Zelda looked back at Link, her fingers pressed over her lips. "I wonder what that was about," she said, following Link as he walked towards the door.

"Me too," he said, thinking he'd never seen Albertos look so alarmed. Pipit, Orielle, and Karane joined them at the door, with Pipit pushing it open and wincing as the rain whipped against his face.

Outside Link could hear shouting. Someone's Loftwing was crying, the sound piercing through him like a knife. Pipit stepped out first, holding his arm up to block the rain and Link followed, face scrunched up as he followed Pipit around the yard towards the stairs that led to the windmill. There was a crowd gathered, everyone in it trying to subdue a crying Loftwing. Zelda's father had hold of it by the harness and its wings were spread wide, grey feathers flying as it tried to lift off the ground.

"That's… that's _Grey_ ," Link breathed, throat suddenly dry. He felt a hand on his shoulder, another on his arm, the second hand softer and smaller than the first.

"Link, wait- "

" _That's_ _Grey_!"

Link tore himself away from the hands, bolting into the edge of the gathered crowd. Grey was screaming, struggling violently against those trying to hold him down. Amidst his grey and white feathers were dark green ones stuck awkwardly to his harness, beak, and claws. Panic seized Link around the chest, its arms colder than the rain beating on his face.

" _Mom_?!" he shouted, pushing through the crowd, looking desperately for his parents. If Grey was here, surely his father was somewhere. Grey never left his father's side, he always there to save him when he jumped. And his mother's green Loftwing would never let anything happen to her, but she had to be at home, she was _always_ at home… the green feathers were just-

" _Link_ ," Albertos said, catching him by the chest and pushing him back. "Go back inside, we'll-"

"That's _Grey_ ," Link wailed. "Why is he singed? Why - is that _blood_ on his harness? Those feathers- Where's my mom?"

"Link, we don't- "

"Where's my _mom_?!" Link bellowed, trying and failing to push Albertos out of the way. " _Dad?_!" he shouted, because his father was somewhere, he had to be, and he would know-

"Link, _don't_!" Gaepora shouted, releasing Grey's harness to put his broad hands on Link's shoulders when he finally made his way around the other Knight. Grey set his bright yellow eyes on Link, then he stopped screaming. The bird looked at Link for a long moment, one that stretched uncomfortably out, like a clock that had gotten stuck…

Then Grey started singing. His beak turned skyward, crooning a haunting, lonely song into the stormy sky. Link heard someone say something about a Loftwing's Lament and his chest ached like a sword had been driven through it.

" _Mom_?!" Link wailed, though something inside told him it was useless. " _Dad_? Grey, where are- "

"Eagus, get him out of here," Gaepora murmured, voice shaking. He shoved Link into Eagus's broad hands, but Link fought, wanting to stay put until someone gave him answers. Until _Grey_ gave him answers, or until he stopped singing that damn song and his parents rushed up from the house at the back of the village. Because that's where they were, that's where they always were...

" _Let go_!" Link snarled. "My parents-"

"Link, we… we don't-"

"Don't tell me no one knows!" Link shouted as Eagus picked him bodily up and dragged him up the stairs. "Where are they? Where-"

" _Link_?"

Zelda was there, Pipit and the others behind her, a few students on the bridge above them. She looked at the crowd by the windmill, at the singing Loftwing, at the blood and feathers on Grey's harness. Her hair was wet and clinging to her face, and she had a hand pressed over her mouth like she was holding back a scream. "What hap- "

Link freed himself from Eagus' grasp and flung himself into Zelda's open arms, burying his face into her neck. He clutched her around the waist, and Zelda pressed one hand against the back of his head, fingers tight in his hair as Link began to sob. Below them by the windmill, Grey continued to sing, the haunting song echoing through a stormy sky, calling out for a partner who would never return.

* * *

A/N: If you follow me on tumbler (andelynk) I'll have author's notes up in roughly an hour (possibly sooner). thank you for the continued feedback, I appreciate every single comment.


	11. That Time Grey Said Goodbye

Zelda pushed Link's bangs back, noting how relaxed he seemed. His eyelids were soft and forehead free from the lines that worried it just an hour earlier. Were it not for the tear tracks on his cheeks and the deep, shuddering breaths that periodically wracked his body, this would look like a typical mid-morning nap.

Link inhaled in again on cue, the breath catching in his throat like a gasp and Zelda thought of Link sparring. She'd been watching him for years and was familiar with his battle cries, the grunts of effort he made he went in to strike or took a hit on his shield. Those sounds were ugly, but this sound was worse. Worse than the Loftwing's lament, worse than when he'd wailed into her shoulder and clutched her so hard she thought her ribs might break. Perhaps it was worse because it was the way a child would cry.

She stroked his hair softly and pulled her ugly blanket tighter around his shoulders, wanting to keep him warm. Link was still wearing his damp shirt and pants though she'd managed to convince him to take off his boots. He'd wrestled with Pipit and Eagus outside, wanting to whistle for his Loftwing and head out in search of his parents. Pipit had finally taken Link by the shirt collar and shook him. " _They're gone, Link_!" he'd shouted. "They're… I'm sorry, but they're _gone_."

After that, Link let Zelda coax him inside, and a few minutes after she'd gotten him upstairs into her room, after which Eagus came in with tea. Link had downed it in one gulp then laid down on her lap, his tears soaking a large spot on one leg. He was still laying there, having succumbed to sleep in a surprisingly short amount of time.

"Eagus, what was in that tea?"

Eagus flushed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "A large amount of Skywheat Spirits."

" _Skywheat Spirits_?!" Zelda yelped. "Eagus! What were you-"

"He needed to sleep for a bit and calm down. He'll have a clearer head when wakes up."

"He's barely had half a glass of honey wine," Zelda frowned, threading her fingers into Link's hair. " _Will_ he wake up?"

"Yes, Zelda. He'll be fine."

Eagus was leaning against the door frame while Zelda continued stroking Link's hair. Outside the storm had arrived in full, with flashes of lightning and claps of thunder that shook the walls so hard Zelda felt it in her bones. Or perhaps that was her grief rattling her from the inside.

The sound of footsteps brought Eagus and Zelda to attention. Sir Heron appeared in her doorway, soaked through from the rain and flicking water onto her door when he pushed his flight mask up.

"We finally got that bird calmed down. He let Gae take his harness off, but we couldn't find any injuries," he said, shaking his head as he put his hands on his hips.

 _Gae_ , Zelda thought. To all the students he was Headmaster Gaepora, but those who knew him well called him Gae. Larke and Orel called him that. There had been an old familiarity between them. Had they been close when her mother was alive? Was her father part of their lives since Larke and her mother had been best friends? Owlan once told her Link's Uncle Ugo had been her father's best friend, had he been close to Orel as well when they were young?

"Where'd the blood come from, then?"

Eagus' words caught Zelda's attention. _Blood_? She hadn't been close enough to see that, but if there was blood on the harness… she shuddered and tightened her fingers in Link's hair.

"We're not sure," Heron grimaced. "Best guess is a pack of skytails since they come out in the storms, or Albertos said something about lightning because the bird did have burnt feathers. We don't know who got hit or… they both could have been hit. It's impossible to say. Corvus just saw Orel's bird flying back towards the island, screaming so loud he heard it from three-hundred yards away."

Eagus huffed and shook his head. "Hylia, curse it. I can't believe this."

"Me either. I've known Orel my _whole_ life," Heron sighed. "He was one of the best flyers I've ever seen. And it wasn't like Larke was a bad flyer. That bird of hers would have died before it let anything happen to her."

"Perhaps it did," Eagus murmured. The crack in Zelda's chest rumbled, threatening to split her in two.

"We'll never know what happened," Heron said. "Loftwings don't talk."

Eagus sighed heavily and looked at the ceiling. "Larke used to babysit me, she taught me how to read and used to let me sit on her bird all the time. When she and Orel started dating, I _hated_ him."

"You did?" Heron asked, a smirk on his face. "It didn't seem that way when you were begging to go

flying."

"Yeah, but at first I hated him. I had the biggest crush on Larke. I was four or five, alright?" Eagus said when Heron laughed.

"I remember that now. You probably weren't the only one. We used to give him all kinds of hell after they got married," Heron chuckled.

"Still called me Little Eagus every time I'd see her around the village," Eagus said, a small smile on his face. "My mother and Larke are the measures by which I judge all women."

"No wonder you're single," Zelda interjected. Heron laughed and Eagus quirked an eyebrow at her. "Those are impossible standards, Eagus. Your mother is a treasure and Larke is… she..."

Zelda stopped, voice caught in her throat. She frowned and looked back at Link, willing back the tears burning her eyes. Lightning flashed outside and thunder roared a second later, rattling windows and reminding them how devastating it could be. When the noise subsided, Heron's shining eyes turned to Link.

"How's he?"

"Eagus gave him _Skywheat Spirits_ ," Zelda scolded.

Heron gave him a look but Eagus just shrugged. "It was the only thing I could think of to calm him down," he coughed, drawing a large hand across his face.

Heron sighed then, lips pursed as he stared at Link. "Gae already called the Congress members together. They're meeting tonight."

" _Tonight_?"

"Orel was Captain, they're going to have to name someone. If we go by ranking, you're next in line to-."

"No, I'm staying here. I like the kids, I'm good at this. Someone else can take it," Eagus said, shaking his head. "What are they going to do about Link?"

Zelda frowned. She didn't realize Link would need anything done with him. "I'm sure he'll come up too," Heron mumbled. "He turns of age in a few moons, right? I remember Larke was pregnant all spring."

"He turns in the summer," Zelda said. "His birthday is Eldin 3."

Heron gave her a sad little smile. "You two have been close for a long time."

"Since we were five," Zelda replied, still running her finger through Link's hair. "Eagus what did you mean by ' _what are they going to do about Link_?'"

"Who's going to take care of him," Eagus said. "His tuition is covered for this year, so that's not a worry, but if he wants to stay on next year or when he makes it to senior status… someone will have to arrange for that."

"If Orel and Larke hadn't done it already," Heron added.

"Right," Eagus agreed. When Zelda continued to stare, Heron let out a heavy sigh. "He'll need a place to live, Zelda. The house will be put up or-"

"Wait, they'll sell his _house_?!"

"He'll automatically get one if he becomes a Knight," Heron said placatingly. "Every Knight-"

"But that's _his_ house! That's… Orel was given that land when he was a knight, he built that house! Larke told me he proposed to her in that house! Link was born there you can't just- that's _Link's home_!"

Eagus considered her before looking to Heron. "She's got a point. It doesn't seem right. Especially if he's seventeen soon and you know he's going to be-"

"The Congress doesn't see it like that," Heron interrupted. "They see it as space, they see it as income for the community, or income for Link. We have little space on the island as is and if they can split it up to build more-"

"No, they _can't_ do that," Zelda hissed, trying to keep her voice down so as not to wake Link. "They just can't. They should ask him first. Surely he'll-"

"He's a minor," Heron said. "Someone's going to have to decide all of this-"

"They won't even give him a say?!" she spat, gently removing Link's head from her lap so she could stand up. He sniffed once but did not wake. Zelda stared at him. He was taller than her now, but he looked so… _small_ under that blanket.

"He's less than a season away from turning of age. It isn't right to just-"

"Perhaps not, but that's… that's the way it is, unfortunately."

Heron frowned at Zelda's expression then gave Eagus a brief nod and walked towards the exit. Zelda stood in the middle of her room for a moment, then stormed past Eagus into the hall.

"Woah, woah," Eagus cautioned, catching her by the arm. "You charging out there to yell at someone won't do any good, Zelda."

"Who's on Congress right now?" Zelda asked. She knew permanent members of the governing body of Skyloft included her father as Headmaster, all instructors at the Academy, and the Captain of the Guard, but they rotated other members to keep the community involved. Two business owners, two citizens, and two active knights were elected to serve every other year.

Eagus blew out a long sigh. "Aside from all of us? Jakamar, Luv, Gondo, Albertos, Cheli, and my dad."

"So, no one who can speak for Link?"

"Jakamar and Albertos know Link pretty well. Owlan and Horwell teach him. Your dad and my dad were both friendly with Orel and Larke. They'll say something. I'll say-"

"But _Link_ doesn't have a voice. This is _his_ life, that's his _home_ , he should-"

"Zelda, he's not going to be in the mood to make decisions. He _just_ lost his parents," Eagus said.

"Someone needs to tell them that," Zelda muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and looking back to Link. "It isn't right. He's not a child, he should have a say in what happens. The Wing Ceremony isn't for another three moons, and we'll have classes for a week after it before Link would have gone home, anyway. Nothing has to be decided tonight."

Eagus considered her, eyes narrowed as he chewed his lip. Zelda put her hands on his large forearm and squeezed. "Eagus, where is that meeting? You know this isn't fair. Think about Larke. That's her _only_ child. She wouldn't want this."

"You realize I stopped having a crush on her twenty years ago," he smiled sadly. Zelda continued to stare at him, and finally he sighed. " _Fine_. They hold meetings like this at night. Be at the Bazaar by eight. When you see me walk in just follow behind me. You can hide in one of the booths. If you are even a minute late, you're out of luck."

Zelda nodded and watched Eagus walk away before turning back to Link asleep on the bed, thinking this was the least she could for his parents after all they'd done for her.

* * *

Zelda was lurking behind the Bazaar, a cloak pulled over her head to protect her from the steadily falling rain, when Eagus approached. He shook his head when he saw her. "I'm going to lose my job."

"What?" Zelda hissed, walking out of the shadows to stand behind him.

"Nothing," he muttered, pushing back the cloth that covered the entrance to the Bazaar. It was eerily quiet, booths covered and only a few lanterns lit. Eagus walked inside, resolutely ignoring Zelda as she scampered behind the counter of Luv's potion booth. Her father was just in front of her, two fingers pressed against the bridge of his nose as he stared at the floor. Jakamar and Albertos stood across from him, grim expressions on their faces. Eagus approached his father, Talon, who looked just like him save for the grey flecked in his hair.

"How's Link?" he asked.

"He'd just woken up when I left. He was quiet, but that's not unusual."

"Did someone let his girlfriend know?" Albertos asked, having turned to listen to the conversation.

"Which one?" Jakamar snickered. _Which one_? Zelda thought. Link had only had one girlfriend, and they'd been-

"He and Kina broke up before the last full moon. Zelda was in her room when I left," Eagus lied.

Zelda's face grew warm. Had people started thinking she and Link were together? _She'd_ certainly been giving it some thought. Back in the Sparring Hall he'd been smiling lopsidedly at her while she tried to hold her ground against his teasing, feeling almost sick from the butterflies in her stomach. Link had looked like he was going to kiss her, he'd even leaned forward. Zelda would have closed the distance between them if there hadn't been so many people in the hall. She didn't want to kiss him there in front of everyone. She wanted somewhere private, somewhere special, where she could push her hands into his thick hair and press herself-

Zelda took a deep breath and suppressed a shudder. This was _not_ the time to be thinking about kissing Link. Not after everything that had happened.

Fledge's Mother Cheli, Luv the poitioneer, and Gondo the repairman arrived a few moments later, all three wearing rain cloaks and looking tired. "I want to make this quick," Luv said, rubbing her slightly swollen belly. "This pregnancy is wearing on me and I've got to get more sleep."

Zelda peered over the edge of the counter and watched her father nod solemnly. "First thing we need to do is select a new Captain. Albertos, Talon, how are the other knights?"

Albertos swallowed. "They're all shaken. Some of us have known Orel since he was just a kid and flew with Ugo before him. The others have all known Orel since _they_ were kids. This is going to be hard to recover from."

"Did Orel ever mention anyone taking over for him when he- " Her father paused awkwardly, clearing his throat before going on. "If he retired?"

"He mentioned Heron since they worked close together, but Eagus is next in line," Albertos said, frowning when Eagus shook his head.

"Orel knew I prefer working with the kids," he explained. "I like being at the Academy."

"It would be my preference that you stay on," Zelda's father said. "You have a way with them, and Goddess knows Link won't be the only one needing support through this. Orel spent about as much time at the Academy as he did on patrol."

Zelda felt cold. Orel always stopped by her room to say "Hi", or if he found her in the yard he'd shoot with her for a bit. He would stop to give Pipit flying tips, and after Eagus told him Karane was taking all the classes required for Knighthood, Orel had offered to give her individual sparring lessons. She'd see him talking to Link, or to Owlan, or to her father. Zelda choked down the swelling sensation that rose in her chest and wiped her cheeks, leaning against the table while her father continued speaking.

"All right," her father sighed. "Let's… look at it from another angle. Is there anyone the others _wouldn't_ want as Captain?"

Albertos pursed his lips. " _Cregger_ is not suited to the position, and Talon, you've said for a long time you don't want-"

"I don't," Talon said. "Heron would be my choice. He's the same age as Orel so he's got a number of years in him yet. He doesn't have a family-"

"I think having a family is what made Orel a good captain," Albertos interjected.

"I agree," Zelda's father added. "But if Orel and Heron worked closely together, he'd know schedules and any plans Orel had. He's well liked in the community and he's devoted to the squadron and everyone in it. I formally nominate Heron for Captain."

"I second," Talon said.

"Third," Eagus added.

Zelda heard quiet murmurs of agreement then Gondo spoke. "I think it's unanimous."

Zelda's father nodded. "Settled. Talon, I'll trust you to talk to him. Now…about Link."

Her father exhaled slowly, rubbing the bridge of his nose again. "Since he's a minor and a student, he's a ward of the Academy for the time being. But there's the matter of the house and all the possessions," he explained, speaking very matter of factly, almost detached. "If he were of age, they'd fall to him but since he's not, they fall to his guardian. Which means they fall to us."

Cheli frowned. "Didn't they have a guardian named for him?"

"As far as I know they never named another person after… after Ugo died," Zelda's father explained. "The odds of them dying at the same time were…"

He fell silent. Zelda chanced a look over the counter and saw Jakamar frown at her father. "What about Larke's parents? Are they still-"

"Larke would come back and curse us if we left Link with them."

"Orel wouldn't be far behind her," Talon added.

Cold rushed through Zelda again. Link had... _grandparents_? Had he ever met them? Where did they live? She knew there were a few residents scattered on the larger islands off of Skyloft, but they were mostly farmers or keepers of produce. Was one of them Link's grandmother or grandfather?

"If land and possessions fall to his guardian, and the Academy is his guardian, that technically means they fall to the community," Luv pointed out. "That's a large plot of land and there are at least two or three knights coming through in a few years, right, Gae?"

"This is true," Her father agreed. "It's one of the larger plots in the village. Since the assets belong to us there is the possibility of splitting the land and selling the house."

Zelda scrunched up her face and punched the ground, frustrated that it was her father suggesting this insane plan. Hadn't Link lost enough? Did he need to lose his home as well?

Zelda remembered the countless hours they'd spent running that house as kids, building forts out of blankets and pillows, playing outside behind Orel's workbench. She'd practically lived there sometimes, Larke had even gone so far as to make her a special sleeping space if she wanted to stay the night.

"I think we should," Luv said. "Split up the land that is. If we have to plan for multiple Knights in the next few- "

"Now hang on," Jakamar interrupted. "Orel helped build that house with his bare hands, my dad told me all about it. If Link is on track to be a Knight why not just let -"

"Because the community needs the assets in the interim," Luv continued. "If we have more students coming into Knighthood, we're going to need the land. The classes coming through are larger than normal. You know how tight housing is, Jak. Plus the money from a sale would help the community."

Zelda almost jumped to her feet. They were going to take away Link's home and not even give him the money from it?! Why wasn't her father putting a stop to this? After everything Larke and Orel had always done for her, and for him, didn't he care about Link at all?

"Any money from the sale would go directly to Link," Zelda's father said to her relief, though his voice remained detached. "It would cover his room and board for two years, until he became a knight in his own right… if that's the path he stays on."

"But if the house falls to the community, the money from an auction should go to the community," Luv argued. "Even if we didn't split the land, that house is large and will fetch a nice price. And Larke had that machine Orel made her that he never _would_ share the plans for. That's worth a lot of rupees and the plans for it mean everyone could have one," she explained, scoffing when the rest of the group stayed silent. "We need to look at this practically. There have been wards of the village before, haven't there? What happened then?"

"It's been a while," Albertos said with a sigh. "It was Orel and Ugo wasn't it, Gae? That was… over twenty five years ago though."

"They were never wards. Ugo was seventeen- almost eighteen. The house and possessions automatically fell to him, and they pushed his Knighting ceremony through a season early so he could take custody of Orel," Her father explained. "If Link was seventeen _now_ I'd say let it sit empty. But he's got over a year before his Senior year, not to mention a Wing Ceremony and final tests to see if he makes it. Orel and Larke paid his tuition yearly, in case he changed his mind about being a Knight. And he could very well change his mind by -"

"But he won't!" Zelda snapped, jumping to her feet, unable to swallow her anger anymore. Eight pairs of eyes turned to look at her, some of them surprised but a few others angry.

" _Zelda_?!" Her father yelped. "What? What are you _doing_ -"

"I'm speaking for Link since no one else is," she explained, undeterred by her father's glare. "He deserves a say in this. He's old enough-"

"He's _sixteen_ ," Luv argued, narrowing her eyes at Zelda.

"He'll be seventeen three days after the Wing Ceremony, that's less than a season-"

"Zelda, you should _not_ be here. I don't even know _how_ you found out about - nevermind," he growled. "I am ordering you to leave. This is a private meeting for the _adults_ of this community and you have no business-"

" _You_ have no business trying to sell off Link's home!" she shot back, rounding the corner of the booth she'd been hiding behind. "You're deciding his life like there's an immediacy-"

"There is immediacy!" Luv shouted. "How many students are participating in the Wing Ceremony this year, Gae? What if they _all_ pass? What if-"

"That's never happened before," Her father grumbled. "We have very strict – and it doesn't matter! Zelda, this is _none_ of your-"

"Well, someone has to be concerned because _you're_ clearly not!" she shouted. He gave her a dangerous look, but Zelda was too angry to back down now.

She looked her father square in the eye and said, "You're talking about this as if you don't even _know_ Link. You act like you didn't know Orel… and Larke…. They spent more time with me some days than _you_ did! Orel taught me how to shoot a bow, and Larke… _Larke…_ "

Zelda took a breath and pressed a hand against her sternum as though she could physically hold herself together. "She read to me, and brushed my hair… she made me blankets and taught me how to make my own clothes when I started to grow out of them. She… they both there for me when you were busy with… everyone else! And after all that you're just going to act like you don't know Link at all? Or that you don't care about him?"

Her father suddenly looked guilty, but Zelda just frowned and looked around at the group. "Larke and Orel haven't even been gone a day and you're all sitting here talking about splitting up Link's house and selling off his possessions, not giving any consideration to the fact that he's lost everything! You… you…" she stammered, turning back to her father with a scowl. "You should be _ashamed_ of yourself. What would my _mother_ say? Owlan told me Link's uncle was your best friend, what would _he_ say?"

Her father had frozen, face slowly draining of color. He exhaled slowly, giving Zelda a pained look before turning over his shoulder back to the Congress members. "Perhaps we are... rushing this," he murmured. "The Wing Ceremony isn't for another three moons and we won't know until then how much-"

"It should be decided before then," Cheli murmured. "If... they all advance to their Senior Year that means-"

"In the exceedingly rare case all five of them advanced, that still doesn't mean every student will become a Knight," Zelda's father interjected. "Some may want to become teachers, or open businesses. Natala and Geo's twins are interested in Loftwings, they've talked about opening a clinic. And if everyone _did_ decide to join the Order, they'd still have another year of school before a knighting ceremony. We have… time. They're not going to rush out of the gates wanting a house, either. Many of them would still live with their parents, I expect."

Cheli nodded, as did Gondo and Jakamar. Albertos and Talon remained stoic, but Luv looked perturbed. "I still say we should decide what to do with it now. Why else were we called in then?"

"To elect a Captain, and we need to discuss a dedication," her father said, motioning for Zelda to sit. "Since we can't have a… burial, I propose a dedication in the square. Orel will get a flag on the flag line for his service, and Larke-"

"Should have a flag too," Cheli insisted. "How many times was she elected to Congress? She was the one who encouraged me to volunteer last fall."

"I second that," Gondo said. "Larke never had a booth but she was in the Bazaar two days a week to take orders for things. She helped my mom out when I was struggling to read, too."

"She did the same for us when Eagus was struggling," Talon added, while Eagus nodded in agreement. "Not to mention the number of years she spent making uniforms for the entire squad, and everything she did for the Academy. She did just as much for this island as Orel, and she wouldn't be the first civilian who had a flag up there. Aya has a flag, so does her father."

This information startled Zelda, and she glanced at her father who simply gave her another pained look. She'd always known the flags represented Knights who died while still in service, but had no idea civilians were represented as well. She wondered which flag belonged to her mother…

"I don't hear any objections to Larke having a flag, so that's what we'll plan," her father concluded. "Zelda, you are closest to Link, do you think you could talk to him about what he'd want to have on display during the dedication? If he has any pictures or drawings of his parents? I'm sure others will have effects, but I feel like Link should get a say first."

"I'll… um, I'll ask him," Zelda mumbled, unsure of how she was going to bring up the topic. When she'd left, Link was awake, but he was sitting in his room staring at his bedspread. The last thing he said to her was "I need to get my mittens back," and she wasn't entirely sure what he was referring to.

The meeting ended a few minutes later. Zelda noticed Albertos and Eagus talking quietly in a corner while Cheli and Luv stood beside Luv's booth conversing. Cheli smiled and put her hands on the bump just starting to poke out from between Luv's hips. Gondo walked with Jakamar out of the tent and back into the rain and as they left, Zelda realized her father had scurried out a head of them without saying a word to anyone.

Zelda picked her damp cloak up off the floor, wrapping it tight around her shoulders before pulling the hood up. Eagus caught her eye and he gave her a curt nod when she smiled gently at him. She pushed the curtain back and stepped out into the rain, taking a sharp left at the staircase to head towards the Academy. It wasn't until she was on the bridge that a pair of voices stopped her.

"... Certainly has a lot of her mother in her," Talon was saying, sounding amused.

"You have no idea," her father replied. There was an audible sigh before he spoke again.

"Talon, I was never meant to do this alone. I was never meant to be so… alone. Why the Goddess has taken all of them and left me-"

"None of us are meant to do it alone," Talon replied. "That's why we have partners, and the village, and-"

"You don't understand," her father interrupted, his voice shaking. "Orel and Larke filled the gaps that Aya and Ugo would have. They were there for Zelda in ways that I never could be. That I don't… know how to be.. I love her so much, but I'm just not… when Aya died the piece of me that would have been any good at it died with her."

"Ugo was still there."

"He was," her father agreed. "He poured his grief into caring for Zelda, which, thank the Goddess he did because I could not have done it without him. But then he was gone, too. And I… stupidly cut Orel and Larke off for years, not realizing how much I needed them. I worry often about how those years affected Zelda."

"She was two, Gae. They're more resilient than you think. What brought the three of you close again?"

"Zelda and Link," her father laughed. "From the second they met each other she latched onto him like nothing I'd ever seen, and Link was much the same. We couldn't have kept them apart if we tried, and of course Larke just encouraged it. I tried to apologize for how I… behaved, but they acted like nothing ever happened. Like things were just..."

Her father sighed again, and Zelda pictured him with his fingers pressed against the bridge of his nose. "And now _they're_ gone too. I've lost _everyone_ who-"

"So has Link," Talon murmured. "So has Zelda. You're the only one left for them, Gae. You don't have the choice to lean on someone else, you _have_ to be there."

Silence fell between them, giving Zelda time to arrange her thoughts. Link's Uncle Ugo had... helped her father? Had he been a babysitter or been more like a parent, the way Horwell and Owlan acted at times? She had no memory of the man, and only vague descriptions of what he looked like when Orel talked about him every so often. Had he been friends with her mother as well as her father?

"You know what the saddest thing is?" her father said then. "I don't think either Link or Zelda remember Ugo. Obviously Zelda wouldn't remember Aya which breaks my heart, but I was hoping…"

"It would probably help if you _talked_ about them more," Talon scolded gently.

"You may be right about that," her father admitted.

They conversed in low voices for a few more minutes, then Zelda saw Talon walk off towards the path by the windmill while her father went inside the Academy. Zelda stood in the rain, the crack in her chest threatening to open again as she thought of what her family could have been and what was left of it now.

* * *

The sun returned two days later, shining warm light on the ribbons and flowers that now covered the square. A tiered table was set up at the northernmost end. On it was a flight mask and a knight's tunic that had belonged to Orel, and several gorgeous blankets Larke had made. A sword, bow, and handsome red scarf were laid next to a white dress and a pair of aged flower and feather crowns. Also displayed among the personal effects were three hastily drawn three pictures Link had done: one of his mother, another of his father, and one of them together.

"Where's Orel's sailcloth?" Pipit asked. Zelda frowned, thinking of the white and blue cloth Orel always wore around his shoulders. She looked to Karane, who'd volunteered to help Zelda and Fledge's mother gather items from Link's house for the display.

"I didn't see it when we were going through things," Karane replied, chewing her lip. "It could have been somewhere hidden, or maybe-"

"He would have been wearing it," Link said quietly. "He never took it off. My mom… she made it for _him_ ," he said as though should have been obvious to anyone listening. It was the first time he'd spoken since that morning when Zelda had found him in his room swearing up a storm while trying to put on his father's tunic.

"It's too itchy," he had told her before throwing it on the bed and fisting his hands into his hair. Zelda had dug through his drawers to find a white shirt he could wear underneath it, but he'd grown too broad and tall for it in the last year so she'd gone searching for one in Parrow and Groose's room. Groose had dug through his drawers until he'd found one he'd grown out of, and she'd been so grateful she'd kissed him on the cheek before rushing back and helping Link into his clothes. He looked a little disheveled, with his father's tunic being a little too big and Groose's undershirt too long in the arms, but it would have to do.

Link leaned over the display, examining the picture of his mother. He picked it up, smudging the lines with his fingers. "This isn't what she looked like," he mumbled.

"It's... close enough," Karane said kindly. "Link, you did very well in such a short amount of time."

Link shook his head and gestured to the display. "This is… this isn't who she was. She wasn't just a seamstress. Where's her tea kettle? And... and the pan she used to make pancakes? She made pancakes for everyone," he explained fruitlessly. "She… she taught Fledge how to read, and Eagus. There's nothing here that shows that. Everyone should know what she did. Where are my dad's projects? How many Loftwings and Goddess Statue's did he carve? No one knows how much-"

"Link, they know," Zelda assured him. "This isn't meant to be everything they were. Though, now that I think of it, we _should_ put some cups out and maybe a project of Orel's. Pipit, can you…?"

Pipet nodded, walking quickly off the square and down towards the residential area. Link was still staring at the display, and Zelda slipped an arm around his waist to guide him away. She walked him over to where her father and several Knights were standing. They'd been staring in their direction for a while and she gathered they wanted to speak with Link.

"Link, Zelda" Albertos said when they approached. Link snapped to attention and Zelda could feel him trembling slightly. "We've gathered some stories together, but before we started we… we wanted to ask if _you_ would like to say anything, Link?"

Link's face went white. "M-me?" he stuttered. "I-I-I can't t-talk in front of everyone."

"You wouldn't have to _talk_ , per se," Heron assured him. "We have a reading if you like."

Link nodded, his free hand rubbing at the back of his head. "Um… I guess? If-if… I need to."

Zelda's father stepped forward, speaking gently. "It's only if you want to, Link. We thought it might… bring you some peace."

Zelda narrowed her eyes at her father, feeling that Link reading something was more about presentation than peace. She gave Link a encouraging squeeze around the waist and he nodded before following Heron and Albertos back over to the memorial. Zelda's throat felt swollen when he walked away with his shoulders slumped in resignation. She swallowed back tears and fought the urge to grab Link and steal him away from all those speaking to him now.

"Zelda, we should sit," Karane said, taking Zelda by the waist and turning her towards the chairs.

"Yeah, we… we should," Zelda mumbled. Once everyone was seated, her father rose from his chair, dispensing with the traditional memorial dedications that Zelda knew.

Instead, he described Larke's contributions to the Academy and to education all over Skyloft. How, at one time, the Academy had been just for Knights or those looking to be educators. General instruction was left up to the parents, which left some children excelling and others falling behind. Larke had been the one to suggest the Academy could be more. That there should general education for all the children in the village: reading and maths courses, history and trade skills. Larke suggested it all. She also offered private tutoring lessons and developed the early education curriculum used by practically everyone on the island.

"Larke never taught a single class at the Academy, but in many ways she educated us all," Zelda's father finished with a slight tremor in his voice. Several people in the crowd clapped and Zelda watched Link fidget nervously in his seat next to Heron, eyes fixed on his boots.

Albertos was next. He smiled as he described young Orel and Ugo playing with wooden swords in their front yard, and how proud Orel been the day he was knighted. "I swear it was the only day I ever saw his hair combed neatly," he teased. "I'm sure Larke had something to do with it. But from the moment he showed up, he was always volunteering to do more. Extra training runs, helping out with the Squires, volunteering for Congress after he'd been in three seasons. He demonstrated the essence of the Knights of Hylia from the moment he joined."

After he finished, Jakamar's Father Jay stood next, running a hand through his thinning hair before giving Link a gentle smile. He grinned almost his entire speech, regaling everyone with snippets of Larke and Orel's relationship, having been Orel's oldest friend. He told them of times Orel lingered too long in the dorms just to catch Larke in the kitchen when she went down to make tea. He mentioned the way Larke would blush when he'd come near, and how that blushing never really stopped. Several people laughed out loud when Jay reminded them of the dramatic displays of affection Orel was prone to, and described the "ridiculous" smiles they'd both had on their wedding day. The only time his smile ever faltered was when he mentioned the three plus year struggle they went through to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term.

"Eventually it happened, and that baby became Link, and I don't think there's a person on this island who ever questioned Orel and Larke's commitment to being the best parents they could be," he smiled, putting a friendly hand on Link's shoulder before moving on and offering a few anecdotes about their life as parents and the hopes they had not just for Link, but for Skyloft as a whole.

When he finished, Jay sat down next to Link and there was an awkward pause before Heron leaned close and whispered something to him, clapping him on the back when he was finished. Link stood and moved a step closer to the crowd, the paper he held shaking slightly. Zelda's stomach clenched tight, her throat unbearably dry as she watched Link open his mouth to speak. He closed it, then opened it again. She balled her hands together into fists in her lap, willing the words to come for him. He'd never been good at this, even when he answered questions in class he was quiet.

Link took a breath, standing up taller. He cleared his throat and Zelda was gripped by the terrible fear that the childhood speech impediment he had would return as it often did when he was exceptionally nervous. Perhaps she should say something, or offer to read it for him. She'd just started to get up from her seat when Link finally spoke.

" _Do not linger beside my grave for I do not sleep_ ," he began. " _I have walked onto the Goddess's path, she keeps my soul so do not weep_."

Zelda relaxed into her seat, though her hands stayed balled into fists in her lap. Once the first sentence was out, Link took another breath before continuing.

" _Seek me instead in the breeze that blows,  
Or inside the moons ethereal glow.  
Find me in the first rays of morning light.  
Or in the... rush of wings as the birds take flight."_

Link's voice was wavering but he soldiered on, eyes flicking up to the crowd before turning back to the paper.

 _"I am in the sun, and in the rain  
Until the day I see you again.  
Take heart my love, let your tears be dried,  
For I will watch you from the eternal sky_."

The paper was shaking violently in his hands. Zelda could see Link's shoulders heaving as he took deep breaths to steady himself. Thankfully, Heron pulled him back into his chair. Zelda's father stood to close out the ceremony with calls to support not only Link, but every person in the village. The crowd rose and moved into a single line in front of the memorial, waiting to light candles or sticks of incense that were displayed amongst Larke and Orel's personal effects. Zelda ended up towards the back of the line with Karane and a few others.

"Did Link pick out that… poem? Was it a poem?" Orielle asked in a watery voice. Zelda shook her head, too busy watching Link bury his face in his hands to respond. "I suppose he didn't have a lot of time to think about it," Orielle sighed.

"I think Albertos found it," Fledge said quietly. "I saw him and Eagus going over books in the library yesterday."

Zelda nodded, eyes still on Link. He was standing up now, and it seemed Heron was holding him in place. He had a broad hand placed firmly against his shoulder and Link was just nodding as people passed by, touching him on the cheek or taking his hands for a moment in solace. Zelda again felt the urge to rush up to the memorial and tear Link away from everyone. Get him somewhere where he could grieve in private.

Grey landed then, just behind where Link and Heron were standing. It was strange to see a Loftwing so large without a harness. He trilled quietly at Link, though Link frowned and looked away from him. Heron patted Grey on the neck when he leaned forward to nudge Link's shoulder. Then, to Zelda's surprise, Link scowled and shrugged away from Heron and the bird, storming across the square to the other side of the memorial. Grey followed and they began a game of chase.

Link tried to hide himself amongst the crowd, but Grey pushed through and tried to corral Link under his wing. When Link dodged this and fled towards the path, Grey floated into the air and cut him off.

"Go away," Link grumbled, pushing around Grey and continuing back towards the Academy. Everyone was watching now as Grey squawked and tried again to corral Link. Zelda pressed her fingers against her lips and choked back tears. She'd never seen a Loftwing behave the way Grey was now.

"What's he doing?" Karane asked.

"He's lost," Parrow said in a hollow voice. "A Loftwing without a partner will eventually return to the larger nest to help with the nestlings, but… they grieve too."

Link was swatting at the bird as he tried curl around him. Blue often did to Zelda when he was feeling affectionate, she knew the gesture well. Link wanted none of it. "Go. _Away_!" he snapped, drawing the attention of Heron, Corvus, and her father. Grey was distressed and crying, and it hit her then that Link was not the only one who'd lost his family.

" _STOP_ _IT!_ " Link shouted, physically shoving Grey off when he tried to place his beak on his shoulder. "You were supposed to _protect him_! You were-"

In a flash of color the Crimson Loftwing was there, landing behind Link with an enormous presence. Wings spread and neck lowered, he screeched at Grey until the other bird moved back, hissing in response. Several people gasped and fear seized Zelda. Benevolent servants of the Goddess they may be, Loftwings were dangerous if they fought, and Link was caught right between two of them.

Heron rushed forward and tried to pull Link out of the way, but the Crimson Loftwing curled defensively around him, still screeching at Grey as he crowed in distress. Link clambered onto the red bird, burying his face into his feathers and gripping the harness so hard his knuckles were white. Grey squawked disapprovingly but the Crimson bird was undeterred. When Grey moved forward the red bird let out another warning roar until Grey backed down.

Others moved forward then, some trying to pull Link off his bird's back. " _Let him go_!" Heron shouted. "Just... let him go."

He said it as if they had a choice in the matter. Link's bird had spread his wings now, beating them Grey's direction before he lifted into the sky with Link and they flew off into the distance. Grey called after them, but Heron rushed forward and put hands on his wings to fold them back into his sides, whispering quietly as he did.

"Orel's bird still thinks he's the patriarch," Pipit noted in too casual a tone for Zelda's liking.

"Parental attitudes don't just disappear," Parrow agreed. "Orel was Link's father, he was his guardian, therefore Grey sees himself as Link's guardian now, even with the Crimson Loftwing."

"Do you think it's because Link is young? If he was older would Grey grieve and move on?" Pipit asked.

"I think it's different for each bird, you know?'" Parrow said thoughtfully. "Orel had an extraordinary bond with that bird, they were together for… Goddess, how long? How old was Orel?"

"He turned forty last fall," Zelda clipped, irritated by their casual conversation about Loftwing behavior when something so terrible had happened. She wrapped her arms around herself and stalked off, following the almost involuntary pull towards Grey.

Heron was stroking the bird's feathers, and he smiled gently when Zelda reached out to do the same. Grey was singing quietly, the Loftwing's Lament again, though it was not as haunting this time. It was soothing in a strange sort of way.

"Sing as long as you need, old friend," Heron was murmuring. "You did what you could. He loved you no matter what."

Grey let out a whimpering sigh before tilting his head skyward and singing out a long, solemn note. He fixed his yellow eyes on Zelda then, looking to her as though she could provide some sort of answer to his grief.

"I'm sorry," she breathed, laying a hand on his beak. The bird pushed his head into her hand, the action causing her throat to swell up again.

"How are _you_ , Zelda?" Heron asked. The question caught her off guard. "Orel talked about you all the time, Larke did as well," he said gently, as though his words could patch the crack inside her chest. "It was clear they-"

"I'm fine, Heron, thanks," Zelda clipped, fighting back tears. Grey pushed his head against her chest, right against the crack that threatened to split her in half if she lost control. "I'm… I'm fine," she mumbled, unable to look at Heron, or the bird, or the candles on the memorial, their light a feeble representation sight of the light that Larke and Orel brought into the world… brought into _her_ world.

"Zelda?"

Karane was there then, a hand around her waist, guiding her away from the crowd and towards the windmill where she could have a little privacy. Zelda was breathing deeply, willing the tears back. She couldn't cry, it wasn't her place to cry, this wasn't her grief to have.

"Zelda, it's okay," she whispered, rubbing gentle circles on her back. "You've barely spoken since all of this happened."

"I've talked."

"You've talked to Link. You've been there for him but you need-"

"He needs someone there for him!" She cried. "He has no one… he-"

"He has you. Who do you have?"

"I'm fine," Zelda insisted. "It's not like they were my parents, Karane. It's not like… this was Link's family, not… mine."

Karane frowned and let out a heavy sigh, studying Zelda with concerned eyes. "Cheli says we should leave most of the memorial up, but I don't… I don't think we should leave Larke's dress out in the rain, or those feather crowns. Was that Orel's sword?"

"It wasn't his, he would have been wearing his," Zelda frowned. "Just like he was wearing the sailcloth."

Karane chewed her lip. "Perhaps Link will get his own sailcloth."

Zelda nodded, thinking of the upcoming ceremony and remembering with a jolt of pain the story of how Larke and Orel first got together. She could see them on the Goddess statue, Larke blushing and Orel gazing at her with that awestruck look he had whenever she walked in the room.

"Let's get everything important off the memorial just... just in case it starts raining again," Zelda sighed, giving Karane a watery smile when she stood up from the bench. For some reason Karane reached out and hugged her tightly. Zelda embraced her back, wondering exactly what it was for, though the warmth of Karane's arms said a lot more than words ever could.

* * *

After the memorial was mostly put away, Zelda walked to the broken windmill to wait for Link. It was his favorite spot on the island for some reason and where he always went if he wanted to be alone. She planned on leaving him alone if he wanted, but she had to check on him first, just to make sure he didn't need something… or to make sure he actually returned.

The Crimson Loftwing landed just before sunset, bringing Link with him. Link climbed off his back and stood under the bird's wing for a few moments, then nodded while scratching his feathers. The Loftwing cooed quietly at him and butted his head into Link's chest before flying off, sailing into the western sky where Grey was flying. They began to circle side by side just above the clouds; it almost looked like they were talking a walk together.

"Link?" Zelda said quietly, not wanting to startle him. He eyed her over his shoulder before giving her a cursory nod. She walked to his side, hands tied together in front of her waist and voice caught in her throat. It took her a few moments to get it unstuck.

"W-we put most of the memorial away," she explained, surprised at how shaky she sounded. "The candles and pictures are still there, but… your mother's wedding dress and their crowns, and your dad's uniform… it's all safe. Just… just in case it rains again."

Link pursed his lips, then gave her another nod before looking out at the two Loftwings. Zelda fidgeted and shifted on her feet, trying to decide whether to leave or whether to stay with him. She hated silence most of the time, but this silence was pressing. It made her throat feel dry and her stomach feel queasy. Link wasn't going to break it, she knew that, but she didn't want to just keep babbling at him.

"Cheli went through a few things. She and Karane… we found stuff in in closets and under your parents' bed when we were looking for things to put on the memorial," she blurted, unable to stop herself. "Everything we found, it's… it's all in a box in your house if you want to… look at it."

Link just gave her another nod, still resolutely silent. She chanced a step closer, relieved when he didn't shrug away from her. "Maybe… maybe we should go look at the display and see if there's anything-"

"No," Link murmured in a thick voice. Zelda noticed his cheeks were wet and his eyes a little swollen and bloodshot. "I don't want to look at it. It wasn't… that wasn't for them."

Link avoided her eyes, breathing slowly as silence settled between them again. It seemed to get heavier the longer they stood there. Zelda wondered how long it would be before it crushed them both. "You're right," she mumbled after it became too much for her.

"What?"

"I said you're right, Link," Zelda whispered, voice shaking. "It… it wasn't for them."

Link scoffed at this and folded his arms over his chest. "It wasn't for _me_ either. I don't care what Corvus says. That wasn't… none of that was for me."

"You're probably right about-."

"Then what the hell _was_ it for?" Link snarled, startling Zelda so much she took a step back. "Why'd I draw those pictures? What did I put on this... stupid itchy tunic for? Was it for the other Knights? Was it for the village? Why do I have to do anything for them?"

"Because everyone knew your parents, Link. Everyone loved them and-"

"No, they didn't!" he growled. "Giselle used to complain _every time_ she picked something up from my mother, no matter how hard she worked on it. Cregger and Corvus used to question every decision my dad made. And don't get me started on the rest of the people in the village," he snapped, rounding on her now as though she'd tried to defend them.

"Every time he did something to make the island safer he was criticised. He wanted to put up barriers around the edge in some spots, but people thought it'd be ugly. If he wanted to put out a flight restriction because of the weather, they argued. Like they knew what it was like to fly in… in..."

Link paused, as though he'd just realized something. _"_ Why _..._ whywere _they_ out flying? What were they doing?!" he shouted, gesturing at random to the sky. "They'd just told me not even two days earlier to watch the weather before going out! Then they did the exact opposite and this… _this_ happened!"

Link raked his fingers through his hair and let out a stream of curse words that put his father to shame. She'd never seen him so angry. He looked down at his father's tunic and began pulling it over his head, then he balled it up and squeezed it so hard his arms shook. Zelda leapt forward and seized from him when he made to throw it over the edge.

"What the _hell_ were they thinking?"

"I don't… I don't know, Link," she mumbled. "Maybe it wasn't stormy or-"

"Everyone was saying today how… greatthey were," he muttered, turning away from her again and starting to pace. "They weren't _perfect_. Sometimes they did stupid things. My dad was... reckless and my mom… she… she... Sometimes they fought, you know? But no one… no one talks about that. They didn't know them like I did, and all that… all that stuff?" he gestured behind Zelda, back towards the square where the memorial sat. "That wasn't them. They were more than all that. Why have a memorial for someone when it's not actually _for_ them?"

Zelda just shook her head, she didn't know how to answer. Link seemed irritated by her silence. He turned away again and stared out at the horizon, nose crinkled in disgust.

"What's the point of having a guardian bird if they can't even guard us?" he grumbled, gesturing vaguely to Grey as he flew alongside Crimson Loftwing. "Albertos said he tried. He _tried…_ Maybe he did, but he was too late and he failed."

Zelda winced at his tone. "That doesn't mean he… loved him any less, or that he loves _you_ any less. Grey-"

"My mother's bird _died_. She tried until the very end to keep her safe, and she still couldn't. What's the point of having Hylia's guardians with us if they can't-"

"Link, I don't know," Zelda interrupted, attempting to take him by the elbow but he pulled away. "I don't… I don't think it works that way..." she grimaced. Hadn't her father said that very same thing to her when she asked why Hylia didn't save her mother? It had seemed like an empty answer then, and it was no less empty now.

"' _I ask you to bless me today as I seek my partner in flight, my guardian, and my treasured friend,'"_ Link said, quoting the Paring Day prayer. " _Bestow upon me the symbol of your divine protection so that I may fly with_ -"

"Link, I know the prayer. I know," Zelda interrupted. "But... that's not the point of-"

"There _is_ no point, Zelda!" Link shouted, gesturing towards the birds again. "We have guardian birds that can't guard, we have memorials that aren't for the people they're dedicated to. All of this is bird shit. My parents are dead. They were thrown out of the sky and... I will… I will _never_ see them again. My dad will never finish that wingcrest for your father and my mom will...my _mom…_ "

Link went breathless, face tight as tears welled up in his eyes. "My dad used to talk about how people… looked at him. After his parents died in that fire, they… looked at him. I never understood it but now," he said, a wry laugh in his voice. " _Now_ , I get it. They're so sorry… everyone keeps saying that. ' _I understand how you feel, Link,_ ' Heron told me. Like he has any fucking idea how I feel! Like anyone knows-"

"I know," Zelda whimpered, unable to stop herself.

"You know what?'

"I… I'm sorry," she mumbled, turning away from him. It wasn't fair for her to try to share in this. This was his grief, not hers. They were his parents, not-

"You know _what_ , Zelda?" Link demanded.

Zelda flinched, tears spilling onto her cheeks. She couldn't stay quiet, especially not when he was expecting answers. This was her role, she was the one who knew everything, she filled the silence between them, she always had.

But for the first time in her life Zelda had nothing to say.

She pressed her face into her hands and sat down on the ledge of by the broken windmill, trembling as she tried to hold back her sobs.

A second later Link was there, the warmth of him pressing against one shoulder, making the other half of her feel strangely cold. Zelda sniffed and wiped at her cheeks while Link looped an arm around her waist, never saying a word as she tried to compose herself.

"It isn't fair for m-me to… feel this way. Because they weren't my parents. It wasn't _my_ family," she explained, pressing a hand against the stabbing pain in her chest. "But your dad... he was the only one I still let call me Little Zelda. It never bothered me when he did it. I loved him, Link. And your… your mother…"

The tears came faster now, to fast for her to form words, though there _were_ no words to form. Zelda didn't have the language to describe what Larke had been to her. Some cross between parent and confidant, between mother, sister, and friend. She had been everything Zelda didn't know she needed, and the worst thing was Zelda never got the chance to thank her for it.

One of Link's hands found hers. His fingers were long and slender, and she could feel the places where the handle of a sword had rubbed until the skin grew tough and calloused. Strangely there were calluses on his first finger and thumb, either from holding a bow string or a drawing pencil, she wasn't entirely sure.

"Link, it's not the same, but I know how you feel," Zelda said after a few moments. "I loved them too. But it's not… it's not fair for me to feel this way. This is not my grief, I wasn't their child and-"

"You were close enough."

Fresh tears. She paused to wipe them away before returning the squeeze Link gave her fingers. "You know what has haunted me these past few days?" she asked. "I… never said thank you for it all, and now I'll never be able to."

"Yes, you did."

"Not like, ' _thank you for supper_ ,' Link. I mean I never said 'thank you' to them, for _everything_. Your mom… when I'd come over in the mornings, before you were awake? She'd brush my hair out. Sometimes she'd made me clothes because she worried my father didn't have time to buy me any. All those times I slept at your house? If I woke up, she got up with me, even if your dad beat her too it. Your mom was there for me so many times and I just… I never pictured a world without them in it."

Zelda sniffed and wiped her eyes with the inside of her wrist. "I hope they knew… Link, I hope _you_ know how much I loved-"

"They knew, Zelda" he murmured before taking a deep breath. "And I know… they loved you, too."

Zelda nodded, leaning her head against Link's shoulder. A few seconds later she felt the pressure of his head melt into hers. There was something soothing about it. Zelda released his hand and hooked her arm through his so she could lean closer. They stayed like that for a while, both of them quiet, Zelda no longer caring about the silence between them. It seemed less heavy now.

The Crimson Loftwing landed in front of them just as dusk had started to fall, his presence startling Link. He jumped to his feet and turned toward the horizon, looking distressed again. Zelda followed his gaze to where Grey was flying, past Skyloft, past all the little islands that surrounded it...

"I didn't… where's he going?" Link asked, and Zelda wasn't sure if he was speaking to her or his Loftwing. "I didn't want him to leave. He didn't… have to _leave_."

Link's face was tight again, and he pressed his hands against the sides of his head. Zelda wrapped her arms around his waist and at the same time his bird stepped forward, trilling quietly while setting his beak on Link's head. They watched until Grey disappeared into the horizon, Zelda squeezing Link as tightly as she could while he took deep heaving breaths to calm himself.

"I didn't want him to leave."

Zelda swallowed. "I think he had to. Maybe it's the only way he… he could move on."

Link nodded, wiping a fist across his eyes. Zelda released him then, though she kept a hand on his shoulder. It was dark now, and Link's bird was starting to settle in for the night, walking in circles and trampling a makeshift nest into the grass. It was getting colder and the chuchus and keese would start coming out soon.

"We probably should go inside," she said gently.

"I don't know if I'm ready," he mumbled. "Everyone is going to… stare at me."

"Do you want to go home?"

Link thought about this for a second, then shook his head. Zelda considered him. Everyone would stare when they got back to the dorms. Not out of malicious intent, but simply because they were concerned, or curious. There would be nothing to distract them either.

"What are you doing?" Link asked when Zelda started to untie the ribbons from her hair. Once they were free, she took the longer portions in front of her ears and pulled them up, arranging them into a bow shape. "Um… Zelda?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, fixing the pieces together with her ribbons. She shook her head to make sure it would stay in place.

"What are you doing?"

"Do I look ridiculous?"

Link froze. "Er…"

"Just be honest, Link. We told each other we were going to be honest from now on."

"Yes, you look ridiculous."

"Good," she said, taking his hand again. "Now no one will stare at you. Or at least if they do they'll wonder why you let me fix my hair like this."

Link exhaled a short laugh, then he smiled at her. Amidst her grief and confusion something warm unfurled through Zelda's chest. She thought she'd wear her hair like this every single day if it meant Link would smile at her.

He let out another sigh and looked off towards where Grey had flown, pursing his lips a little. "Will you remind me tomorrow that I need to go get my mittens?"

"You said that earlier. Where are they?"

"Kina has them."

Zelda pursed her lips. "If you want, I can make you-"

"My mom made them," he mumbled. "They're… they were the last thing she ever made me."

Zelda nodded, squeezing his hand Link's hand until he gave her another small smile. "We'll get them back. I promise."

* * *

Thank you again for all the feedback! It is so appreciated


	12. That Time With the Red Wine

**That Time With the Red Wine**

* * *

Link knew he was slouching and it was probably disrespectful, but Gaepora (as he'd instructed Link to call him, that or Gae) hadn't bothered to correct his posture. A box of pictures his mother had drawn sat at Link's feet. It was the only thing he'd grabbed when he ventured inside his house a few days earlier. He'd returned home a few times now, grabbing just what he could carry before leaving. He never wanted to stay long, which felt odd, considering that at one time in his life he'd never wanted to leave.

"Link, are you _certain_?" Gaepora asked, folding his large hands on the desk between them. "This is a big decision, and there truly is no rush. I would rather have irritated congress members on my hands than push you into a decision you are not ready to make."

"I'm sure."

"It will be a hard road. I'm sure your father told you more than once that becoming a Knight is not an easy task."

Link pursed his lips. His father _had_ said that, but never expressed doubt that Link would become one if that was what he wanted. And Link himself had never felt any doubt, but now he was filled with it. Everyone he spoke to had started stressing how difficult it was and how much he'd have to focus, as though Link didn't know this already. EvenLink himself began to wonder what the point was. After all, being a Knight didn't help his mom and dad in the end...

Zelda seemed to be the only one who had faith in him. Her confidence never wavered, not even during the few weeks when he dramatically withdrew into himself to grieve, or when he finally returned. During his first sparring session, Cawlin had laid him flat on his back, and Zelda had been the one to pick him up off the ground and encourage him to keep going.

"If you don't feel up to taking classes over the summer, we could wait and put the auction off until after the fall session starts up again," Gaepora suggested after Link had been quiet for a while.

Link shook his head, hesitating before he spoke. "No, I think now is better. And I need to take classes over the summer. I missed a few... weeks… and want to make sure I stay caught up."

"Even with those few weeks you're still earning good marks, Link. Don't feel pressured to-"

"I don't," he interrupted. "I just…" Link took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts. In truth, he hated the idea of selling the house, but he also hated the idea of returning there, of living there, completely alone.

"I think I need to find a way to… move on," he said finally. "If it's... _okay,_ to move on?"

"How do you mean?"

"I'm still sad, but," Link began, trying to find the words to explain it. He was sad, but not as sad as he had been a few weeks back. Lately he felt… normal. Happy even. The other day Zelda reminded him of the time they tried to make a cake together, and had ended up getting flour all over the kitchen. Link had laughed. Actually laughed.

"I'm sad, but sometimes I'm… okay? I don't know if I'm doing this right."

"Are you asking me how to grieve, Link?"

When Link looked at him, Gaepora let out a rueful laugh and sighed. "I'm probably the last person you should ask, for I feel as though I've been doing it wrong the last sixteen years." He ran a hand over his head, fingers searching for hair no longer present. "I think if you feel… "okay" to use your word, you should embrace that. If you feel like laughing, laugh. If you feel like crying, cry. Don't let any preconceived notions of what is right or wrong affect how you feel."

Gaepora folded his hands again and chewed his lip, looking strangely like Zelda as he did. "The only advice I will confidently give you is to _talk_ , which is where I know I've failed. We never forget those who are gone and silence… does not ease the pain. Talking gives them life, and your parents deserved a longer life that much is certain. So don't hesitate to talk about them, even if it hurts."

Link nodded, then randomly remembered some drawings he'd found inside the box. Drawing was something his mother had done as a hobby, though she rarely shared her pictures with anyone but his father.

"I found these when I was going through things," he explained, handing Gaepora one of the drawings. "I thought it was Zelda at first, but she doesn't wear her hair like that, so I guessed it might be-"

"This is Aya, yes," Gaepora murmured, holding the picture close so he could examine it. He chuckled and shook his head. "Zelda got nothing from me in looks, that much is certain."

"I found these too," Link added, handing him another picture of what he guessed was Gaepora and Aya together, then a third picture of Aya, Gaepora, and another man who greatly resembled Link's father sitting on a couch. "I'm guessing that's my Uncle Ugo? Eagus' dad told me the three of you were close."

Gaepora nodded, taking the picture from Link, his expression caught somewhere between elation and pain. "There are quite a few in here of Aya, and of Ugo if you want them," Link said. "My mom must have drawn a lot before I was born."

"She did after, too," he laughed, gesturing to a picture of Zelda that was tacked to his wall. "She used to slip pictures of Zelda under my door, and I know you helped her with the one Zelda has hanging in her room."

Link nodded, remembering when his mom had asked him to help her get Zelda's hair right in the portrait she'd done of Zelda and her father. She'd been smiling the entire time that Link was working on it. It had been the first and last time they'd painted something together, and the memory made Link feel both happy and sad.

The tower bell started to ring, and Gaepora's eyes widened dramatically. "Hylia, save me, is it that time _already_?" he gasped. "I'd best get moving, Link. We can lay out any details about the possessions later." He stood quickly and grabbed his ceremonial scarf from the back of his chair. As he put it around his neck, Gaepora's eyes fell to the two drawings on his desk.

"May I keep these?"

Link nodded and handed him two more. "I thought you might want these as well," he said. The first was a picture of his uncle smiling in a red Knight's tunic, the second was another picture of Gaepora, Aya, and Ugo sitting close together at the feet of the Goddess statue.

Gaepora let out another heavy sigh before he regained composure. "Link, thank you. These mean more to me than you'll ever know. I must be off, I'm sure I'll see you in the Plaza. It's a large race today."

And with that he rushed from his office, leaving Link sitting in the chair in front of the desk. He remained for a few seconds then stood, gathering the box of papers and drawings into his arms. When he turned to the door, Zelda was waiting for him, leaning against the doorframe with a small frown on her face.

"So what'd you decide?"

Link exhaled slowly. "I'm going to let them auction it, but I'm keeping a lot of the stuff. Your dad said I can store it in the basement if needed."

Zelda pursed her lips and considered him. "Link, are you _sure_?"

He nodded. "Your dad said my tuition will be taken care of by the community fund, and the money from the house can go towards room and board. Whatever is left I can keep. Otherwise I'd have to find some kind of work. Pipit's already doing patrols at night so there isn't a lot available-"

"But you could live at home if you didn't-"

"I don't want to stay there alone, Zelda," he said. "It's too much."

She frowned and put a hand on his elbow. "I understand. It's… it's just sad. You were born there. That's your home."

Link shook his head. "It was my house, but it was _their_ home. This way I can make my own someday."

Zelda blinked, then her eyes got a little watery and she looked away. Link moved to set the box down so he could hug her but she held up her hands to stop him. "No, I'm okay," she said, smiling and wiping her face. "They're going to start soon, we'd better get outside. You can leave that in my room for now."

Link nodded and hurried across the hall to drop the box on Zelda's bed. She waited for him outside, then linked her arm through his as they walked towards the Plaza platform where the race would begin.

Zelda's father was already explaining the rules when they got there. Parrow was standing on the far edge of the platform, arms folded behind his back and posture stiff. Beside him Orielle was flexing her fingers into fists at her sides and Karane was pulling her hair back into a single plait, eyes narrowed in determination. Pipit stood next to her stock still, looking almost angry with his arms folded over his chest.

"... winner will also proceed to the Goddess Statue to be presented with an award from the young lady playing the role of the Goddess. This year that young lady is our very own Peatrice," Gaepora said, gesturing to Peatrice who was standing behind Pipit.

Zelda released Link's arm to pat Karane on the back while Groose gave Parrow and encouraging shake by the shoulders. Fledge, Stritch and Cawlin were all lingering around the edge of the plaza, wanting to be able to get a head start on racing around the island to catch the whole race.

"Remember, the rest who do not win will be assessed on flying ability and current academic standing to determine if they will graduate or need another year of study and practice. Best of luck to you all."

Gaepora stepped back then and Horwell moved forward, offering a bright green nestling a treat before encouraging it into the skies. Zelda let out a long breath beside Link, eyes set on Karane. "She's got this," she whispered.

"She's got it in the test scores anyway," Groose mumbled. "Smarty pants is top in their class and never lets anyone forget it."

"She said it one time, and it was because you were _goading_ her," Cawlin muttered, eyes also fixed on Karane. "If she makes it, she'll be the first girl since Chenya to make it."

"She's going to make it," Zelda said. "She's worked _so_ hard…"

"She has," Link said reassuringly, thinking Karane would have tough competition in, flying at least. She could probably beat everyone around in a sparring session, even Pipit, but she wasn't as strong of a flyer as the others

"On my whistle," Horwell said, putting his fingers to his lips. The racers tensed, then Horwell whistled, and they dashed forward and leapt off the platform. Four whistles later, their Loftwings greeted them and set out after the green nestling who had flown into the distance.

"They're turning east!" Groose shouted, dashing down the pathway to try to keep sight of the race. Everyone followed, all of them skidding to a stop when the little Loftwing swooped in large circles beyond the broken windmill, then turned north. Link found himself wishing he'd followed his mother on her runs around the island. He was soon panting, clutching a stitch in his side when they ran all the way to the lake then changed directions when the nestling and riders flew west towards the Academy.

" _Come on_!" Zelda shouted, seizing Link by the hand to encourage him to run faster. Her touch sent shock waves up his arm. They came to a stop on the bridge between the Academy and Isle of the Goddess, all of them watching the racers dive and swoop at the nestling, who regarded their attempts to catch him as a game.

"Parrow's got it!" Groose shouted, watching his roommate make a desperate grab for the statuette. It was almost in his grasp when Karane swooped in front of him, startling his bird and sending the nestling higher into the air to avoid them both. The nestling headed south again and both Link and Zelda hopped over the railing on the bridge to follow after.

"She's almost got it!" Zelda yelped, pointing at Karane who was flying above the nestling. Her orange Loftwing had pulled its wings into a diving position and started to swoop, but then Parrow and Pipit were suddenly beside her, their birds screeching as they tried to keep up. The nestling heard the noise and spread its wings to turn in a sharp arc back towards the Academy.

The three riders shot past the bird. Parrow and Karane banked wide as the nestling had done, but Pipit flew straight up into the air. His Loftwing looped around in front of the nestling, Pipit clinging desperately to its harness when they both turned upside down. The action startled the nestling, allowing Pipit to sweep under its claws and snatch the statuette a second before Karane's outstretched hand could reach it.

" _Pipit's got it! He got it!_ " Link shouted, jumping into the air, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks. Zelda was clapping and Groose cursed under his breath though he laughed a second later. Fledge and Stritch were cheering from the stair steps and even Cawlin was whooping in excitement.

Parrow, Karane, and Orielle were greeted with applause when they landed back at the plaza. Groose and Cawlin immediately ran over to Parrow and started congratulating him before he walked away to talk to Gaepora. Zelda rushed past Link and threw her arms around Karane. Link watched Pipit's light green Loftwing loop around the island before heading to the Goddess statue.

Across the Plaza, Groose let out a wail of despair. Link walked over to see what was going on congratulate Parrow on his flight.

"Parrow, c'mon _man_ ," he was saying. "If Orielle makes it you've got to stay too. You can't be serious about this."

Parrow shrugged. "I'd rather work with Loftwings than fly around the island all day," he explained. "Orielle is the same. She said we should open a clinic specifically for injured Loftwings so the Knights can focus more on their other duties."

Zelda walked over then, an approving look on her face. "That's a good idea. We don't have anyone on the island who works with Loftwings, just Knights. They know more than most but usually everyone has to work it out on their own. It'd be good to have that."

Parrow nodded, looking pleased with himself as Orielle walked over. "So?"

She shrugged. "Flew well, grades are good. If I want to sit another year I can, but it's like I told you earlier, I knew- "

"So, she was gonna bow out anyway," Groose interrupted, waving her off and taking Parrow by the shoulders. "Parrow, man… we need _strong_ Knights. The Academy needs guys like us to carry the others."

"The Academy _has_ guys like us," Parrow said. "Pipit's a fantastic swordsman, and Link is- "

"Pipit's a birdbrain and Link is lazy," Groose mumbled. Zelda frowned and Link crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm right here," he said, but Groose scoffed in his direction and went on.

"My point is, if you can be a Knight and have that title, why not?" He asked Parrow. "You can still do your little... bird clinic… research… whatever. Hell, rope Birdbrain into it and- "

" _Pipit_!" Zelda interrupted, grinning as he came running down towards the plaza. The sailcloth Peatrice had made was draped around his shoulders and he was flushed and smiling brightly. Parrow clapped him hard on the back, asPipit took Link's outstretched hand and shook it before pulling it against his chest.

"Nice flying, man," Link laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "That move at the end-"

"Your dad taught me that," Pipit said suddenly. "You can train your Loftwing to do it to, Link. I know you can."

Link nodded, a quick shot of pain in the chest making him wince, though it wasn't as bad as it has been. Groose stepped up and gave Pipit a punch on the shoulder while Fledge nervously shook his hand. Cawlin and Stritch noncommittally said "That was pretty cool," in unison.

"Yeah, it was intense," Pipit said breathlessly while turning to look at Parrow and Orielle. "How'd you-"

"Both of us are out," Parrow explained, gesturing to Orielle and himself. "Gaepora said if I wanted in I could go on, but I _think_ ," he looked at his twin sister, who smiled broadly, "we're gonna do this bird thing."

Pipit nodded. "I respect that. Hell, I might help you out some after I'm Knighted. You two flew a good race. You almost had me at the end there Parrow, so did Karane! Where is-?"

" _Zelda_!" Karane screeched on cue, practically tackling Zelda as she ran over. " _I'm_ _in_!"

"You're in?!" Zelda gasped, then when Karane nodded she pulled her into a crushing hug. "I _knew_ you could do it! Congratulations _!_ "

Link noticed Karane's eyes were a little wet when Zelda released her. "Horwell said there was never any question about it," Karane gushed, her voice shaking. "And your dad-"

"You got in?" Pipit asked excitedly, pushing Zelda out of the way. "For real? You're graduating up?"

" _Yes_!" Karane beamed, then yelped when Pipit picked her up by the waist and spun her around on the spot. When he released her Karane looked a little flustered but in Pipit's enthusiasm he didn't seem to notice.

"Congratulations!" he said, shaking her by the shoulders. "I _knew_ you could do it! Well done, Karane!"

"Thank you," she replied quietly. "You… Pipit you did amazing. That was incredible. That looping move? You're such a good flyer. W-well done as well."

Pipit nodded and clapped her on the shoulders. "We should celebrate!"

"I… actually have to go to the Lumpy Pumpkin," said Karane, looking disappointed. "Kina couldn't come to the race but she… wanted to know how I did. And where's Peatrice?"

Pipit's face went pink, and he fussed with the hair at the back of his head. "She… might have gone off flying," he said sheepishly, face turning red. "You'll be back later, right?"

"By nightfall I'm sure," Karane replied.

"Find us, we'll celebrate… all of us," he said, throwing his arm around Link's shoulder. He started to walk away but Zelda grabbed Link's hand and held him back.

"Yeah, we'll find you guys later or something," she said before mouthing _Can I talk to you?_ at Link, who nodded in Pipit's direction then allowed Zelda to tug him over by the Light Tower.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Did something happen with Peatrice and Pipit on the statue?"

Link froze. "I have no idea."

"Does he like her?"

"Again, no idea."

"Why'd he look so sheepish then?"

Link felt his stomach twist. "You're not… do you... like him again?"

" _What_? No, of course not."

Link watched for signs of a blush, a twist of her fingers, a darting of her eyes to the side or anything Zelda did when she was nervous or embarrassed about something. Her face was blank, blue eyes reflecting nothing but curiosity. Relief flooded Link's chest. He didn't think he could handle it if she started dating someone. Zelda only saw him as a friend so far as Link new, but this didn't stop him from dreaming about her, or thinking about kissing her. He'd been pushing the urge down each time it came up because she'd been the only one he was able to talk to, the only one who really listened to him.

Link was desperate not to disturb what they had by making her feel awkward over his feelings for her. He'd rather have her as just a friend than not have her at all.

"Anyway, I'm not going to gossip about it," Zelda said firmly, though Link could tell she was brimming with curiosity. "But I am going to go with Karane to the Lumpy Pumpkin to celebrate."

"Okay," Link nodded, remembering with a jolt that he _really_ needed to get over there and get his mittens from Kina. Even though it was the first day of summer and already hot outside, he really wanted them back.

"Will I see you later?"

"Yeah, I'll be in my room most likely."

Zelda nodded and squeezed his bicep, sending a shiver up his spine. "I'll see you when I get back."

Link nodded, watching her flit over to where Karane and Orielle were. Peatrice had landed, and they were huddled around her, patting her back. Link frowned, thinking maybe he'd ask Pipit what happened up there when he saw him later.

After the Wing Ceremony the square was cleaned out and there was a small celebration for the new Seniors and any student being Knighted. Since it was only Pipit and Karane, with no classmen above them and no new Knights, the ceremony was simple. They were each presented with a new set of chain mail and a yellow tunic, the color representing their year. Pipit had a traditional long cap, but Karane was given a little beret. It looked like it had been specially made for her.

Link realized with a start that they were likely receiving the last Knight uniforms his mom had ever sewn, and to make Karane's that far ahead of time would mean his mother had known for a while she was going to make it through. Link knew his dad had offered to give her private sparring lessons, maybe he'd picked up on it then. Link gave Karane a nod when she looked in his direction with watery eyes, his throat dry as he did. Link didn't stay long after that, escaping the crowd back to his room so he could compose himself in private. He was sure Zelda would come get him later for dinner or something.

But when a knock came to his door, Link found Parrow in the other side. He seized Link by the collar and dragged him down the hall into his and Groose's room, snickering while he did.

Link adjusted his shirt and looked around the room in confusion. Pipit was standing by the massive shelf Parrow and Groose had put up on one wall while Cawlin and Stritch were slouching on Groose's bed. Groose stood behind Pipit and Fledge stood behind him, twisting his fingers nervously. "Didn't want to take any chance of lingering too long in the hall," Parrow explained as he locked the door behind them.

"Got it!" Pipit exclaimed, holding out a bottle of wine. "I told you we didn't need a bottle opener."

"Whatever," Groose said. "Pass the bottle over."

"We _really_ should get cups," Fledge grimaced

"I'm with Flightless," Stritch said. "I'm not drinking from the same bottle as any of you."

"Elsu gave me enough we could have our own bottle each," Pipit shrugged. "What do you want?"

"A cup," Stritch said, causing Groose to roll his eyes and swat him over the head.

"Don't be a baby."

" _Fine_ , I'll get cups," Parrow said, rolling his eyes and exiting the room. Link stepped aside to let him pass, but then resumed his blank stare in Pipit's direction.

"Link, you got a knife? Help me with these," Pipit said when he noticed Link's confusion. Link walked over and pulled out the pocket knife his dad had given him for his thirteenth birthday, driving it into the cork of one of the wine bottles.

"What are we doing?" he asked.

"Celebrating!" Pipit said brightly.

Link eyed the bottles of wine. There were six set out on the table and another six in a crate under a shelf. "How much did you buy from Elsu?"

"I didn't _buy_ any of it," he grinned. "I stopped down after the ceremony and he handed me a case. Then Parrow stopped in and he handed him another. I think he was trying to get rid of some of it so he could bring in new stuff for the Harvest Festival."

"We're gonna get caught…"

" _Nah_ ," Pipit laughed. "Kina told me she was dreading working today because after the Knighting ceremony Gaepora, Owlan, and Horwell all go over there and her father gets distracted talking to them. Then she ends up with all the work because they're all drinking and half the time they end up crashing there. We're fine."

Link frowned and stared at the bottles, trying to decide if he wanted to stay or go. Parrow came back then, carrying seven glasses and some crackers and other snacks he'd found. Link sighed, thinking a few drinks wouldn't hurt as long as they stayed in the room…

"You want this one?" Pipit asked, handing him a bottle of the honey wine he'd had once or twice with his parents. Link scrunched up his nose.

"Nah, I never liked that one much," he said, accepting a bottle of red wine from Pipit and pouring himself a glass.

* * *

"He's a weakling, push him down!"

"I can't!"

"Put some effort into it, Cawlin!"

"I'm _trying_!"

Link grinned, almost giggling as Cawlin pushed fruitlessly against him. He'd planted his feet into the carpet and would not move an inch, despite Cawlin gripping his arms and attempting to throw him to the side, or rush him and throw him off balance. Link's head was a little foggy, and he felt warm in his chest and belly, but two bottles of red wine later his strength wasn't affected so he was sure he was fine…

"I told you," Pipit laughed. "Link is scrappy. He's stronger than he looks."

" _I'm…_ _scrappy… too…_." Cawlin grunted, gripping Link by the shoulders and trying to push him back. Link shifted his feet then stepped to the side, releasing Cawlin so he rushed past him and tumbled onto Parrow's bed.

"No, you're _short_ ," Groose muttered, shaking his head at Cawlin. "There's a difference."

"Fuck you," Cawlin muttered, snatching the bottle of honey wine out of Groose hands and stalking over to the corner. Link ran a hand through his hair before forgoing his cup and picking up the third bottle of wine he'd just opened. He put it to his lips and tipped it all the way back.

"He's drunk and you still can't beat him," Parrow said, slinging his arm around Link's shoulders as he drank. "You talk big, but if Groose wasn't there, you'd have nothing to back you up."

"I'd have Stritch!"

"I'm not getting into a fight for you," Stritch laughed.

"Bah...I don't need you, I can take care of myself," Cawlin muttered.

"Clearly," Groose laughed. "You couldn't budge Weakling and you barely got the best of Flightless," he said, gesturing to Fledge who was sitting on Parrow's bed looking drowsy with a glass of white wine in his hand.

"Don' call him that," Link slurred, taking another drink from the bottle. "We could call you _brainless_ for how you-"

"Hey, your _girlfriend_ didn't think I was so brainless, remember that?" Groose sneered. "I can't believe you didn't fight me over that."

"Wasn't worth it," Link shrugged when he finished his drink. "And you can't _steal_ a girlfriend… she wasn't a thing... why d'you want to fight me so bad?"

Groose's face turned red, and he muttered something under his breath that Link couldn't make out. Parrow snickered beside him. "'Cause every hot girl he wants wants _you_ first. Kina, Zelda-"

"Your sister," Pipit added.

"My sister is _not_ hot," Parrow growled.

"Only she is," Groose teased, delighted by the furious look on Parrow's face. "Those bright eyes, and she's all soft...I can just imagine-"

" _Shut up_!" Parrow snapped, rushing forward and tackling Groose around the neck. They wrestled around the room for a minute, slamming into a shelf, then the wall, forcing Link to jump out of the way so they wouldn't knock his bottle out of his hands. Groose was laughing but Parrow was furious, growling and spewing obscenities at him as they wrestled. It all stopped when there was a knock at the door. Parrow froze and Groose threw him off.

"I thought you said no one would be back until late!"

"I did! I… _who is it_?" Parrow shouted in a determinedly calm voice. When there was no response Pipit rushed to the door and opened it a crack, then he snickered and reached around to grab the person by the hand and pull them in.

"What are you _doing_?!" Zelda snapped, wrenching her hand out of Pipit's.

"Hey, Zelda," he said, grinning broadly. "It's just _Zelda…_ "

Zelda glowered at him then folded her arms over her chest. "What's wrong with you? Why's your face so red?"

"I'm _excited_!" he said. "I'm excited I won the race. We're celebrating."

Zelda narrowed her eyes more, looking at Groose and Parrow who were again wrestling each other, Fledge (now asleep) on Parrow's bed, and Link as he sheepishly hid the bottle he was drinking out of behind his back.

"You couldn't have gone anywhere _else_ to get drunk?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "If my dad comes back, you're all-"

"He's not going to come back," Parrow said lazily, releasing Groose from the headlock he'd put him in. "He's at the Lumpy Pumpkin, didn't you see him?'

"I did, but-"

"Was he drinking?" Parrow asked. Zelda didn't move a muscle. "Then it's like Kina said. After a Wing Ceremony they all go over there and talk and get drunk. If he comes back, it'll be late or he'll stay there to sleep it off."

"Yeah, you've lived here for your whole life, how do you not know this?" Groose asked.

"I… _knew_ ," she shot back. "But this is still disrespectful. They could come back and… and you're all underage, and you're being horribly loud. I heard you through the floor upstairs! You should-"

"Ah, see? She's gonna nark us out," Cawlin whined. "I knew this was a bad idea. _Princess_ can't stand to have any fun with that stick stuck up her-"

" _What_ did you call me?" Zelda said, rounding on him.

"You're a nark! You're a prissy little-"

"Hey, shut _up_ you blockhead," Link blurted, setting his bottle of wine on the desk behind him and walking over to Zelda. He felt a little unsteady, but after a few wobbly steps he made it to her side. She was warm when he put his arm around her shoulders, and smelled like bird feathers and whatever perfume she always wore. Flowers or the wind or… something. Link was hit with a surge of happiness that she was here, he hadn't seen her since earlier that day and he _missed_ her.

"You always sssmell good," he mumbled, head pressed against hers. She stared at him with wide eyes but Link scoffed and gestured toward Cawlin. "Hey… ignore him. He's an ass, he tried to fight me but he couldn't even push me down."

"You were fighting?!"

"Not for real," he assured her. "Just listen. Listen, Zelda… _Zeldaaa_ ," he hummed, hugging her close to his chest with one arm and turning back to the group. "She's not going to nark us out. She's not like that. You never told on me _once_ in the entire time I know you… not once. You're not gonna tell on me _now_ , are you?"

"I don't know," she muttered, pushing him off and frowning. "You told on _me_."

Link froze. _Shit_. He'd forgotten about that. But he'd only done that because she was trying to kill herself or something. Come to think of it he really didn't know what she was doing… she'd never told him. His parents had told him but _she_ never told him…

"What were you doing anyway? When you tried to go through the clouds? We… nevermind. You tried to kill yourself of course I told on you. I was-"

"I wasn't trying to _kill_ myself-"

"But you could have _died_ ," Link emphasized, stepping closer to her and putting his hands on her shoulders first then the sides of her face. "You could have _died_ and then what would I do? You're _my_ Zelda. You can't _die_ … or go through the clouds and leave me here with these idiots."

"Hey, I resent that," Pipit said with a grin.

"These idiots and _Pipit_ then… and Fledge I guess. And Parrow... These _people_ then," he amended after more protest erupted behind them. "People. None of them are idiots… not all the time, anyway."

Zelda was shaking her head at him, fighting a smile by chewing on her lip. Link wanted to do it for her, wanted to kiss the disapproving look off her face. He could do it. It wouldn't be that hard. She was right there, all he had to do was tip his head. Who cared if everyone was watching? The first time he'd been kissed Parrow and Karane had both been there, and Link had been half naked then… at least he was fully clothed this time...

"I'm not going to tell on you," she said finally, dropping her eyes to the floor. "But try to keep it down. And I'd wash those glasses before Henya finds them otherwise she'll get suspicious."

The room breathed a collective sigh of relief while Link grinned and threw his arms around her neck, face pressed into her hair. She smelled so good and was so warm, he thought it would be nice to _sleep_ next to her. "You're the _best_ , Zelda."

"Yeah, yeah…" she sighed, patting him on the shoulder. She pulled back then, a little red in the face. "Oh, before I forget," she said, reaching into a pocket on her dress. She pulled out a pair of green mittens hand handed them to him. "I grabbed them while I was at the Lumpy-"

" _My gloves_!" Link shouted, snatching them from her hands. He thumbed the material softly, distantly remembering that they were important, and he'd wanted them back very badly, but he'd kept forgetting to get them. Zelda hadn't forgotten, though. She never forgot _anything_ Link needed. He threw his arms back around her neck and squeezed her so tightly she squeaked and laughed at him.

"I _love_ you," he breathed into her hair. "You are the best person in the whole sky." He couldn't reach her mouth, so Link pressed his lips hard against her cheekbone instead. "I _love_ _you_."

"They're just _gloves_ ," Groose muttered.

Link felt Zelda's hands on his waist, gently pushing him back. She was red in the face now and looking extremely shy. "They… um… they were the last thing his mom made him," she said, tucking her hair behind her ears. Link reached forward to help, wondering if he'd done something to upset her, or maybe he was being embarrassing… hugging her like that in front of everyone. He smoothed her hair down her back and straightened her shirt, frowning at the bewildered look on her face.

"You alright? You… you're okay?" he asked, leaning his head into hers. The desire to kiss her was still there, very close to the surface. But he'd embarrassed her by hugging her so maybe this wasn't a good time…

"Yeah, fine," she said quickly, avoiding his eyes. "I'm going to go… now…" she said gesturing toward the door.

"You should stay," Groose suggested, stepping forward and pushing Link back. He stumbled and made a protesting noise before sitting down on the shelf behind him. "You could have a few drinks with-"

"No, I don't think that's a good idea," she said, walking around Groose to lift Link's head so she could see him better. He smiled at her but she scrunched her nose up. Link again thought he should just kiss the disapproval off her pretty face. It wouldn't be that hard, he wasn't _that_ bad of a kisser. Zelda sighed and looked over at Pipit then.

"You seem to be the most sober one, surprisingly."

"It's not my first time," he said, a little too suggestively for Link's liking.

Zelda glared at him for a second, then looked back at Link. "Don't let him drink anymore."

"'M fine…" Link mumbled, catching her by the wrist, wishing she would stay with him. He was starting to feel tired, and she smelled good and he wanted to curl up on her and go to sleep. He'd thought a lot about what it would be like to rest his head on her lap, maybe she'd play with his hair... "I can take… c-care of myself," he added, hiccuping in the middle of the sentence.

"Right," she grimaced. "Pipit?"

Pipit rolled his eyes but nodded at her, a little smirk on his face. Zelda left then, giving Link a conflicted look as she shut the door. He jumped to his feet to follow after her and stumbled into Groose.

"You think you're pretty slick with all that ' _You're the best person in the whole sky_!' junk, don't you?" he muttered, shoving Link off him and onto the floor.

"She _is_ the best person in the sky," Link giggled. This should be obvious. If he knew anything about Zelda, he'd see it too. Zelda was great. She brought his mittens back to him! He should kiss her for that at least, and for everything else she'd ever done for him, and because he couldn't stop thinking about it. "She's the best person anywhere."

"You should tell her that when you're sober," Pipit laughed, hauling Link to his feet. He patted him on the back and set him down in a corner of the room, tossing him a blanket and pillow. Link pulled the blanket over his feet, thinking the first thing he would tell Zelda in the morning was that she was the best person in the sky, in the whole _world_ , however big it may be. He loved her. She was his best friend, and sweet, and funny, and so beautiful. He _loved_ her and if she'd kiss him _one time_ maybe she'd love him too. He couldn't be that bad of a kisser…

* * *

When Link woke up in the morning, he couldn't think about talking. He could barely think about moving. Everything hurt. His arms, his back, his head… his _hair_. He rolled himself out of bed and stumbled out of his room, passing Groose on the way to the cafeteria.

"Don't talk to me, _Runt_ ," he growled, skin the same color as the greenish sailcloth around his neck.

"I didn't-"

Groose swore at him and shoved him clear across the hall before storming into the kitchen. Link winced, rubbing his shoulder gingerly before following after. Pipit greeted him with a plate of scrambled eggs and crackers.

"Eat up, it'll help," he told Link, clapping him on the back.

Link scowled at him. "How are you not dying?"

"Like I told Zelda, it's not my first time," he smirked. "I know how to pace myself. You all…" he grimaced, gesturing to Parrow who had his head buried on the table, Cawlin and Stritch who looked pale as they picked at their food, and Groose who was slamming things around the kitchen as though they had all personally offended him. "You all have a bit to learn."

Link continued to scowl even as Fledge came up. He was the only one aside from Pipit who was unscathed. "Oh, Link… you're up. Zelda's looking for you," he said, twisting his fingers nervously.

"Yeah…"

"She's been by our room twice already. You were still asleep once so she just-"

"Yeah," Link said again, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. He remembered Zelda coming into their room, bringing him his mittens, hugging her around the neck, and an all consuming desire to kiss her. He hadn't… had he?

Pipit frowned. "Link, eat something and then you can -"

"Can't eat," he mumbled, stomach lurching violently. He ran for the restroom that was right next to the cafeteria. The door was locked, so he turned and bolted out the front doors to the nearest platform, falling to his knees and vomiting off the edge Skyloft.

When he finished Link collapsed against the cool wood, hoping no one would find him there if happened to fall asleep. His Loftwing came, settling next to him, letting Link bury himself into the soft down under his wing, head spinning and stomach churning. He found himself wishing he would have eaten the crackers. All he tasted was red wine and it made him feel even sicker.

Link heard footsteps crunching the dirt, and even though they were soft the sound was grating in his ears. "Hylia, save me," Zelda mumbled when she reached him. "Link? Are you alright?"

His bird cooed quietly as Link reached up a single arm and gave her a thumbs-up sign. He swore he heard her roll her eyes before she tugged the bird's wing back to look at him. She knelt by his side and pushed his hair out of his eyes before putting her hands on the sides of his face.

"Do you use some kind of cream?" he asked thickly.

"I'm sorry?"

"Your hands are soft," Link said without thinking. When he opened his eyes Zelda's face was determinedly blank, though she was red through her ears. "And you smell good," he added.

Zelda closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, looking away from him for a moment before speaking. "Do you remember _anything_ you said to me last night?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember kissing me on the cheek?"

Link swallowed. "Yes." When she continued to stare blankly at him he began to stammer. "I was… r-really happy you brought my gloves back. Really happy. I still am. And I… I-I meant all of it, Zelda. You are the best person I know. You're my best friend."

"And you love me?"

 _Shit_ , Link thought. "Yes, you're my best friend."

Zelda sighed heavily and moved into a sitting position beside him. She withdrew her hands from his face and folded them in her lap. Link found himself wanting to crawl over to her so she'd touch him again. Her hands had felt good on his aching head, her hands felt good in general...

"You're stupid."

"Sorry?"

"You're _stupid_. How much wine did you drink?"

"I stopped counting after I finished the second bottle."

"Second -? Hylia curse it, Link," she said, burying her face in her hands.

"Are you angry at me? I was … we were celebrating."

"I know! But you… you drank all that wine and then _said…_ " she raised her hands, looking vaguely like she wanted to hit something, then she balled up her fists and put her hands back in her lap. "You're an _idiot_."

"I'm sorry…"

Zelda closed her eyes again and took a deep breath. "I'm going to… forget you said anything at all. Okay? I'm just going to forget about it. It didn't count."

Link groaned as he sat up to look at her better. "It didn't count?"

"No, it didn't count," she said firmly. She looked at him then and her expression softened. Her hand was soft when she pushed his hair off his eyes, and Link fought back the urge to grab her and kiss her wrist, knuckles, fingers… anything she'd let him kiss.

"There's stuff for peppermint tea in my room, it'll help your stomach," she said. "Find me after you stop puking and I'll make you pancakes."

"I think I'm done," he said, though his stomach was churning again.

" _Oh, no_ ," she laughed dryly. "The color of your face says completely different. Have fun," she added, giving his Loftwing a nod before ruffling his hair and getting to her feet.

As she walked off Link wanted to call out to her, but another overwhelming urge to throw up hit him and he had to lean back over the platform again. His Loftwing chuffed understandingly. As though he too knew what felt like to drink too much red wine and tell your best friend you loved them. Link rolled his eyes, the action causing his head to throb with pain, and thought sometimes his bird tried a little too hard to be understanding.

* * *

The rest of summer passed quickly, with Link vowing to stay away from red wine at Zelda's urging. She on the other hand resolutely stuck with her vow and forgot everything Link had said, or at least she never brought it up again.

But Link couldn't forget. Neither his body or his mind would let him. The day after he'd gotten over his wine-induced sickness he found his mittens on the floor of his room and a jolt of simultaneous pain and joy ran through him. Pain at the remembrance of his mother and the care she always put into everything, and joy over the fact that Zelda cared enough about him to grab them when he'd kept forgetting.

He cared for her too, so much so that the first first few minutes they hung out together were torture for Link. His palms would sweat and his throat would go dry no matter how much water he drank, and sometimes his heart would beat so loud in his chest he worried Zelda might hear it. Coupled with the torture, however, was a feeling of absolute euphoria. Whenever she smiled at him or laughed his heart would rise into his throat, and if she Zelda touched or hugged him his body would almost sing in relief.

"I think I love her," he told his Loftwing one day after classes had started up again. He'd flown to the top of the skyfall, escaping there after Zelda had shown up by the pond with Karane and her other friends. He didn't want to stare at her in the two piece swimsuit she was wearing, but it was hard not to, especially when it seemed like she was standing close to him on purpose. She'd even spun around once asking him to check the tie at her neck to make sure it wasn't coming undone. Link's hands had been shaking when he touched it, the sight of her bare shoulders and nape of her neck almost too much for him to handle.

His Loftwing made a curious noise and Link shook his head. "No, not because… not because of _that_ ," he scoffed. "I actually think I _love_ her. This is _awful_." He rubbed his hands over his face and groaned. "How did my parents do this for twenty some years? It's awful."

His Loftwing cooed noncommittally, almost as if to say _it's different when someone loves you back_.

"I _can't_ tell her. She - if she said we were just friends again it…" he sighed. "I don't want it to get awkward. I don't… she's the only one who's been there for me through all this."

The bird squawked, offended now.

"You know what I mean." Link sighed heavily and climbed onto the Loftwing's back, scratching the furry part of his shoulders. "If I could … make her like me back it wouldn't be such a problem."

The bird stretched his wings, showing off the bright purple and gold tips. Link scrunched up his face. "If I strut around like Groose, she'll think it's weird. Maybe if I … do something _nice_ for her. That didn't work out for Kina though." His Loftwing scoffed then tossed his head side to side. "I know Zelda isn't Kina, but what if something happened between us? If she wasn't at least my friend… I don't know."

The bird cooed at him, passing Link a rock he'd happened to find by the pond as a gift. Link twirled it in his hands. "I know she broke her old Loftwing. I could make her a new one."

He had all his dad's woodworking tools in his room now. With Parrow, Peatrice, and Orielle all moving out it opened up a lot of space. Groose had gotten to keep the big room due to his academic standing, but Fledge and Link were also put into private rooms, Fledge taking Orielle and Peatrice's old room while Link stayed in theirs since he'd lived at the Academy all summer and all his stuff was there, anyway. Zelda and Karane had gotten private rooms as well though Zelda told him they still talked to each other through the wall.

As Link landed, he remembered that Zelda had been a little sad when Karane moved into her own room. Another Loftwing might cheer her up, but it would take a few weeks to make. There had to be something he could give her immediately, something that would be special just to-

"Link, _what_ is your Loftwing doing?" Karane snickered. Link looked over to see his bird rolling around on his back, clawed feet in the air kicking, wings spread wide over the ground. He stepped back a few paces and shook his head.

"I don't… know."

"Why didn't you jump when you were up there?" Zelda asked as she climbed out of the water, more curious about that than how his Loftwing was behaving.

"I just… didn't feel like it."

She frowned. "Do you want to jump together?'

"Nah, maybe… maybe some other day. I'm actually gonna go dry off, I think. There's something- _Ahhh_!"

Zelda jumped back and Link covered his head when his Loftwing stood up and showered him with dirt. "What are you _doing_?" he shouted, brushing dust out of his hair, then shouting again when the bird picked up a beak full of dirt and showered him with it. Everyone was laughing around him and Link stormed off towards the dormitories, his bird following, squawking in offense at his sudden departure.

"You're making me dirty!" he shouted as the bird again tried to bathe him in dust. " _Quit it_! What are you thinking?"

His Loftwing cooed, sounding a little sad when Link reached the dormitory and went inside. He was covered in dust, leaving footprints on the floor as he walked. He ran into Zelda's father and Owlan as they walked towards the classroom, the latter stopping him by catching him by the shoulder.

"Attempting to give yourself a dust bath, Link?"

"A what?"

"It's what Loftwing's do to clean themselves. They do it more often now during mating season when they've found a mate they want to impress," he explained, brushing some dirt off of Link's hair. "Only the males, I should specify. Females usually preen themselves and watch."

Link frowned, thinking back to everything he'd told his Loftwing earlier about Zelda, then he groaned before walking into his room. He loved his bird, more than anything, but there were a lot of times where he was more trouble than he was help.

The dust bath ended up being the least of his concerns. A week or so later he and Zelda were sitting on the bridge between the Academy and the Isle of the Goddess talking about something they'd learned in class when his bird landed beside them. He hadn't thought much of it until the bird stood and tucked his wings into his sides then proceeded to prance around in a circle.

"Who's he got a crush on?" Zelda asked with a laugh.

"I don't know, but I'll be glad when the season is over," Link grumbled, giving the bird a scowl. The Loftwing didn't seem to care and continued to prance, wings curled for a few more steps until he spread them wide and hopped dramatically on the spot. Zelda was grinning, but then her own Loftwing landed behind her and screeched at Link's bird, causing her to jump up in alarm.

" _Hey_ , it's just Link," she soothed, stroking her birds neck. "His bird has a crush, that's all."

Blue hissed at the Crimson Loftwing and curled protectively around Zelda. Link jumped up to wave his own bird off, feeling a pang of guilt when it whined in disappointment. He noticed Blue glaring at him with beady yellow eyes and worried that Zelda would soon pick up that it wasn't the bird who had a crush.

He couldn't tell her, it was too big of a risk. He needed Zelda, she was the one steady thing in his life. Everything else could be in chaos but she was still there. As much as he wanted her, he dreaded the thought of something happening between them. What if they started dating and she didn't like how he kissed? Or what if whatever he'd done wrong with Kina happened again? What if they broke up and barely spoke to each other, like he and Kina did now? The last thought was too much to bear, and this was what Link told himself over and over again each time the insane desire to kiss her reared its head.

The Harvest Festival arrived a fortnight later, and the day of the feast greeted Link with a fresh round of embarrassment thanks to his Loftwing. Zelda knocked on his door, waking him from a deep sleep, smirking as be blinked groggily at her. "Yes?"

"Hey, Sleepyhead. Your Loftwing brought this to me when I was out this morning," she explained, holding up a blue towel for his examination. "He stole it off the line."

"He... did?"

"He's also set a bunch of sticks and flowers beside my window."

"Huh. That's… weird," Link grimaced. "He's been really... weird lately…"

She smiled at him and shook her head. "He's still got that crush so… I expect he'll act weird until they mate."

"Right…".

"You're coming to the Feast later, right?"

Link nodded, stomach twisting in a horrible knot.

"Find me later?"

"Yeah… s-sure."

Zelda smiled then and spun around, sauntering away, her hair swaying around her hips. Link groaned and beat his head against his door frame, wondering how he was going to get a handle on what he knew was right and what his whole being craved instead.

She'd said she wanted to forget it, his kiss on the cheek and the words he'd so casually thrown at her when he was drunk. She'd never mentioned it, not once, and Link had taken her at her word. That was just be how it had to be, he couldn't risk it, she was too important for him to ruin their friendship by kissing her. It would change everything and Link had had enough change to last him a lifetime.

So when she took his hand after the feast had ended and everyone was drinking and dancing, asking him to walk with her, he focused on this, not the sway of her hips in the blue dress she was wearing, and not the way her hair floated around her shoulders. She had it down tonight instead of gathered at the ends, and even in the white light of the moon it still looked like the sun.

"I snatched this," she grinned holding up a bottle of red wine. Link frowned and gave her a look, but she just shrugged. "Elsu owes me. I may or may have not threatened to let slip that he gave a bunch of underage students two cases of wine."

Link grinned. "I thought you said you wouldn't nark us out."

"I said I wouldn't tell on _you_ , I never promised not to tell on Elsu."

"Sneaky."

"I can be," she smirked, sitting down on the steps by the lake. Link sat beside her, his body almost moving of its own accord. She handed him the bottle of wine and laughed when he hesitantly took a drink. "It's only one bottle, not two and a half."

"Yeah, that was… stupid of me."

Zelda shrugged. "There are worse things you could have done," she said, then she shivered a bit. "It's getting cool already, have you noticed?"

Link nodded, tensing when she slid closer to him, snuggling under his arm, her head falling against his shoulder. He should be used to this, it wasn't the first time Zelda had snuggled on him and it wouldn't be the last he was sure. She fell quiet then, and Link didn't have anything to say so he followed suit. It was the first time in quite a while Zelda had been this quiet. She was only ever quiet if something was on her mind.

Link turned his head, pressing his nose into her hair and closing his eyes. He wondered if he'd ever be able to get over how good she smelled. It didn't matter if she just gotten off her bird or had been shooting a bow, she always smelled good. The dress she was wearing hung loosely from her shoulders, and when he set a hand tentatively on her arm, he noticed she did feel cold. He'd just thought about suggesting they go inside when to Link's simultaneous thrill and terror, Zelda turned and started to crawl onto his lap.

"I'm really cold," she whispered, forehead against his, her hands sliding up his chest over his shoulders. "Would you-"

" _We should go inside then_!" Link yelped, scrambling backwards, his heart, head, and something inside his stomach screaming violently at sudden loss of warmth she'd stirred up in him. "You're cold. It's cold… we should go in. Come on… let's… let's…"

He started walking away, scared that she'd follow him but terrified she wouldn't. Behind him Zelda let out a horribly exasperated sigh. "Link, stop. Wait… please..."

"No, we should go in, we should-"

Zelda's sudden screech made him freeze. He whirled around, alarmed to see her on the ground kicking furiously at a little Remlit that had come out of nowhere and sunk its claws deep into her calf. Link raced back to her side and seized the Remlit by the skin on the back of its neck. It hissed and spit at him before he threw it off to the side and reached down to help Zelda to her feet. She latched onto his shoulder, wincing and holding her left ankle off the ground.

"Are you okay?" he asked, an arm around her waist to support her.

"Yeah," she said, looking down at the blood dripping from her leg. "Dammit, Owlan. I thought he was kidding."

"Owlan?"

"He used to tell me when I was little that the Remlits on the island would eat me if I went out at night," she explained. "I used sneak up to the Goddess Statue at night for some reason and he was worried I'd get hurt."

"Where was your dad?"

"He's a heavy sleeper, he'd never hear me," she said, wincing again when she put weight on her foot.

"Here, let me help," Link said, turning his back to her and lifting her high on his shoulders, her knees hooked over his arms.

"Jeeze, you're strong," Zelda said, sounding surprised.

"Yeah… well… you weigh so much, you know," he teased, grinning when she flicked his ear. He avoided walking through the square where surely people would ask what happened, and why Link was carrying Zelda on his back. She set her chin against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck, and Link tried not to think about how her breath tickled his ears or how her legs felt around his waist.

Owlan wasn't in his office, which meant he was out in the square most likely. "I'll go get him," Link said, setting Zelda on the desk.

"No, don't," she said, snatching him by the arm. "We can figure this out. All his stuff is in here we just need to clean it and wrap it."

Link pursed his lips, looking through Owlan's drawers of medical supplies for a bit before he found a clean cloth and some bandages. He told Zelda to wait while he went to get it wet, and when he came back, she'd pulled off her shoe and was looking over the scratches on her calf with a frown on her face.

"I think I twisted my ankle."

"Did it knock you over?" Link asked, pulling up a chair and wiping the blood off her leg. He was very careful so he didn't hurt her, the scratches were rather deep. He'd known that Remlits went feral at night for a while, they'd talked about it in one of the classes he took for Knighthood, he'd just never thought about actually dealing with it.

Zelda's voice was quiet when she spoke again. "Yeah, it… I was getting up, and it knocked me down."

Link pressed his lips together, setting the rag aside and grabbing some bandages. He wrapped them around the largest scratch first, winding the tape over her calf, then around a smaller one she had on her ankle. "I'm… not sure how to wrap a sprain," he admitted.

"It's okay. I can wait until Owlan gets back…"

"In here?"

"Where else would I go?"

"I can help you to your room at least."

Zelda nodded, biting her lip now. "Yeah… maybe."

Link held out his hand, pulling her arm around his shoulders again while he put his around her waist. He helped her limp down the hall to her room, then paused at the door, remembering with a jolt that before he'd left for the feast he'd finally figured out something he could give her immediately while he worked on her Loftwing.

"Link, what's wrong?" Zelda asked after they'd stood there for a minute.

He let out a long sigh. "I had a surprise for you. I've... wanted to give it to you for a while and when you were out I sort of… put it in your room."

"What is it?" Zelda asked, interested now. She was very close to him again, their noses were almost touching. Link swallowed down another urge to kiss her and opened the door, helping Zelda as she limped through the door. One she was inside, she froze.

"I've had it in my room for a while," he said, staring at the sewing machine his father had made for his mom so long ago.

"You're keeping it?"

"I'm not," Link said. "You are."

Zelda stayed frozen for a second, then she leaned forward and ran her fingertips along the edge of the wooden table the machine was bolted too. "Link, you can't… you can't give me this."

"Why not?"

"Because it's _yours_ ," she breathed, turning around to face him. "It was your mother's. Your dad made it for her - specifically for _her_. Luv was telling me people have been _begging_ for the plans for it for years so they could make one and he refused to share them. He said it was meant just for Larke."

Link's chest constricted, but he took a deep breath and steadied himself. "I know that, but… I was never good with it no matter how much she showed me. You were. And she'd want you to have it. _I_ want you to have it."

Zelda pressed her hand over her lips, her other arm folded over her waist as though she was trying to hold herself together. Link grimaced when he saw tears in her eyes. He didn't mean to make her cry with it, it was meant to cheer her up. "Listen, if you don't-"

"No, Link… I… it's…" she stammered before taking a deep breath. "Are you sure? I feel like you're just… giving pieces of yourself away. Your home, all the furniture and dishes, their clothes-"

"I didn't give away everything," he said, thinking of the Auction that had been held right after the Summer Solstice Festival. "I kept my a few of my dad's tunics and his ceremony uniform, and my mom's wedding dress."

"But now you're … giving away-"

"I'm not giving this away. I'm giving it to you."

Zelda whimpered and turned away, her hands pressed over her face. Link took a step closer to her, then she spun around and flung her arms around his neck, shaking as she squeezed him. Link stilled, overwhelmed again by how warm she was and the smell of her hair. He tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist, thinking he'd give her anything she wanted if she'd hug him like this all the time.

"Link, do you remember what you said after the Wing Ceremony?"

He froze, worried that he might be squeezing her a little too tightly now. "Yeah…"

"Did you mean it?"

Link summoned every ounce of courage he possessed. "I did. You're my best friend, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Zelda pulled back and pressed her lips together. "You love me… because…"

"Because… you're my best friend."

She closed her eyes, taking a very deep breath before pulling him into another bone crushing hug. Link pressed his face into her shoulder, savouring this small moment that he could be close to her in this way.

"I get it now," she whispered, pulling back and looking at him. "I… I get it." Zelda stepped back from him and gestured to the machine. "This is… it's… I love you, too," she said before hugging him again. "I _love_ you. You're my best friend, Link."

Link exhaled, relief mixing with the agony he was feeling. Zelda released him a second later, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek as she did.

"I can make you another shirt now," she said. "A cream colored one like you used to have."

"I'd… like that."

Zelda patted him on the arm, hand lingering a little longer than necessary. "I… even know what kind of thread to use so it won't make you itch," she added, grinning when he laughed.

"Thanks, I'd… appreciate that." He scuffed the ground with his toe, thinking if he stayed any longer his resolve might break and he'd ruin everything. "I'll... see you tomorrow?"

"I'll see you tomorrow, Link," she said, smiling a little sadly at him when he backed out of her room and nodded before shutting the door. Link leaned against it for a moment, wishing more than anything he could ask his mother or father what to do with all the confusion he had spinning inside his head.

* * *

A/N I'll have author's notes up on my tumblr in a few hours, but I wanted again to thank everyone so much for the comments and feedback they leave. It truly makes my day!


	13. That Time Zelda Was a Goddess

**That Time Zelda Was a Goddess**

* * *

Zelda examined the Blue Loftwing in her hands, marveling at the improvement in Link's carving skills. He'd been practicing in his spare time, that much was clear. A few weeks earlier, Link had brought a large Wingcrest carving to her father, and Zelda recognized it as the same one Orel had been working on before he died. Link had finished it, even taking time to detail feathering on the wings. The symbol of the goddess now sat on Zelda's father's desk, and this blue Loftwing would sit on hers.

"What about that other Loftwing I made you. My mom told me it got broken?" Link asked when Zelda took the new one to her desk

Zelda gave him an apologetic look. "I sort of… threw it against the wall in a fit of rage and broke the wing off. I feel terrible. I still have it though," she said, digging it out of her dresser drawer and handing the pieces to Link.

"That temper of yours," he teased.

"I don't have a temper anymore."

"You have control of it, but you still have one."

Zelda pouted at him but Link laughed as he fit the broken wing into place. "I can fix this for you."

"You can?"

"I've got special glue. It's not a problem."

Zelda nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I'd like that, thank you." The little Loftwing had been the first real present Link had ever given her. Before that, it had been pictures he'd drawn or things his mother helped him make. That Loftwing he'd done all on his own just for her.

The memory made Zelda feel tingly and warm all over, as did the lopsided smile Link gave her before turning around and walking down the stairs to his room. Zelda shut her door, turned on the spot, then took two steps forward and flopped face first onto her bed.

"I hate him," she groaned into her quilt.

Karane's laugh echoed across the divider between their rooms. "Yes, I can tell."

"I mean it this time."

"Uh-huh."

"He's too nice. He wasn't even mad at me. He's too… sweet."

"Oh yes, sweetness is a horrible quality in a boy. Though, he wasn't very sweet when he reminded you of your temper."

"I was thirteen! Everyone has a temper when they're thirteen."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," Karane said. "I started training to become a Knight to deal with my temper. Never thought I'd get this far."

"I did," Zelda said, straining as she pushed the divider open enough to squeeze through. "I've known it since that time you flattened Groose when we were sparring."

Karane smirked as she finished pinning her hair down under her hat. She straightened one of her two plaits out along the sides of her head and appraised herself in the mirror. "Do you have any of that lip stuff I can borrow?"

"Uh...yeah?" Zelda said slowly.

Karane looked towards Zelda, pink in the cheeks as she did. "Will you get it for me?"

"Why are you putting on makeup if you're going to spar?"

Karane's cheeks darkened. "I don't know! It's like... war paint."

"War paint?" Zelda snickered.

"Shut up, you don't understand."

"No, I do. I started wearing stuff on my eyes."

"I noticed. It looks nice."

Zelda smiled a little sadly. The eye makeup and the lip gloss were minor, nothing like what Peatrice wore, or even what Karane wore at times, but it brightened her face a bit. She wondered if Link had noticed.

"Are you coming to watch again?" Karane asked casually.

"I have nothing else to do."

"You aren't busy making a dress for Color Day? Or knitting? All of your coursework is caught up and-"

"Oh, be quiet," Zelda said, fighting a laugh. "I'm coming to support you, of course."

"Yes, and Link flexing his muscles in sparring clothes has nothing to do with it." Zelda turned away to blush, feeling Karane's smirk as they walked out the door and around to the Sparring Hall.

Zelda had given up on sparring last summer. She was able to hold a blade and shield and she was good with a bow, but she had no intentions to pursue Knighthood. She only wanted to shoot for fun, and every time someone came at her when they were sparring she had to fight through fear to stand her ground. Link had never had a problem with it. Zelda wasn't sure if it was innate courage or years of swordplay with his father, but Link never flinched no matter who swung at him.

Today, his sparring opponent was Cawlin, who was eager to recreate the moment last summer when he'd put Link flat on his back. He'd been trying for weeks without any luck. Zelda frowned as she watched Cawlin sputter in rage and land a blow against Link's shoulder. Still, after all these years, Link struggled to keep his shield up. Often, he blocked an attack with his blade with his rather than the shield on his arm.

"Mind your footwork," Eagus barked from the sidelines, speaking to Cawlin more than Link. Link's footwork was almost flawless, strafing and stepping away from Cawlin as he came at him again and again, only blocking when necessary and, for some reason, never striking back.

"Good," Eagus said when Link knocked Cawlin's next swing aside and smashed his shield into Cawlin's shoulder. Cawlin lost his balance and Link threw an elbow into his chest, knocking him into the floor. Eagus nodded approvingly. "Now, when he was stunned you could have gone in for an attack, Link."

"I know," Link replied tersely.

"Cawlin, if you can't find a weakness in your opponent's defenses, it's useless to come at them again and for an opening or try to assess a weakness so you can create one. Link doesn't use his shield well, you should have used that to your advantage but-"

"I got it!" Cawlin snapped.

Eagus scowled at Cawlin before turning to Link. "Keep your shield up. You will save yourself a lot of bruises if you learn to do that."

"Yes, sir."

Eagus nodded. "I'll be back in a moment," he said before turning and walking to his office in the back of the hall. Link waited until the door had clicked shut before rounding on Cawlin.

"What the hell was all that for?"

Cawlin scoffed. "You think you got the better of me this time, but just you wait!"

"He got the better of you because you wore yourself out swinging like that," Pipit muttered. Cawlin scoffed at him and continued to glare at Link.

"Think you're really something special, don't you," he muttered. "Wearing your dad's old tunic, spending all your time brown nosing instructors and knights. I've got news for you, loser: you're no Knight, not with how lazy are."

"I'm lazy because I won't fight you?"

"You won't fight me because you know in a real fight I'd kick your ass."

"Then do it," Link said, throwing his arms wide. "Go on. The first punch is free."

Pipit stepped forward. "Link, don't-"

"No, it's okay. He won't do it. Groose isn't here so he's got no one to back him up."

"I've got Stritch-"

"I told you," Stritch interjected, shaking his head. "I'm not getting into a fight for you or anyone."

Cawlin scoffed. "Coward."

"You're one to talk," Link said. "Go on and hit me."

Cawlin glowered and stalked forward towards Link. The air was still, everyone waiting for what would happen next. Pipit tensed, Fledge fidgeted nervously, Zelda balled her hands into fists and Karane looked ready to jump in if something started. Cawlin pushed Link's chest, but when Link didn't flinch or move from his spot he scoffed and backed down.

"You're not worth it," Cawlin muttered, throwing his shield and sword on the ground before stalking off to the corner of the room, Stritch tailing after. Zelda heard Link curse under his breath as Pipit walked over to stand beside him.

"You should flatten him and be done with it."

"What for? Because he's a mouthy asshole? It's not worth my energy."

"Little as it seems," Pipit scolded, shaking his head when Link frowned. "You barely tried today."

"That's cause he did all the work for me!"

"Yeah, but you need to focus if you're going to make it past this year, Link."

Link glowered at Pipit then nodded, tossing his sword on the rack and ruffling his hair as he walked to where Zelda was standing.

"You all right?" she asked, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine."

"No one thinks you're a suck up or-"

"I know, Zelda. I'm not worried about it."

She nodded, chewing her lip as they sat together near the weapons rack to watch the next match. "Maybe… Not that I condone fighting, but if you did haul off and punch him it might shut him up.."

Link chuckled. "Nah, he'd go crawling to Groose and whine and I'd have to spend the next week-"

"You don't need to hide from Groose," Zelda said firmly. "You should tell-"

"Tell who, Zelda? Who could I tell that won't think me a coward?"

"My father?"

Link shook his head. "He's done enough. I can handle it on my own."

Zelda frowned. Groose and Link had never gotten along, but Groose had taken his animosity to new levels since the Harvest Festival. Calling Link "weakling" and all manner of insulting names, shoving him into walls or into trees if they were outside. The other day she'd walked onto the plaza and saw Link's Loftwing snarling at Groose while Link laid flat on his back, his lip swollen and bleeding. Zelda had raced to Link's side, utterly appalled by the sight, but Link had only muttered "asshole" under his breath and let her take him back to her room to patch him up.

"Still, if you'd hit him back-" Zelda repeated.

"Zelda, if I hit him back, all I'd hear from half the village is 'Oh, he's going to be just like his dad.' And they wouldn't mean it in a good way. Heron told me after my grandparents died my dad got into fights and a bunch of other stuff."

"I heard someone mention that once."

"Well I hadn't until now, and ever since I threw up off the platform someone stops to remind me how well I'm handling everything, how it's a good thing I've got my mom's personality and I'm not... reckless and brawling all the time."

Zelda looped her arm through Link's, setting her chin against his shoulder. "Most people never think about that. The Knights certainly don't. Plus he was fifteen or sixteen when that all happened, he was a teenager."

"So am I.."

"Yes, but… an older teenager."

Link chuckled, giving her a half-smile before nudging her head with his. Zelda's heart fluttered wildly for a second but immediately seized when Karane approached and drew out a sword from the weapons rack.

"I thought you hated him," she whispered just so Zelda could hear.

 _Shut up_ , Zelda mouthed back, watching Karane smirk before she walked back to the center of the room where Pipit and Eagus were standing.

"You two are coming up on graduation after the Wing Ceremony. After that, you'll be sparring with Knights who've been training for years," Eagus said firmly as Karane and Pipit squared up to each other. "You need to prepare now. Don't hold anything back with each other because the others will not hold back with you."

Pipit smirked. "Hear that? We're not supposed to go easy on each other."

"I haven't been," Karane said, glaring at Zelda when she snorted. Pipit ignored this, waiting until Karane had gotten her shield positioned before lunging forward, catching Karane off guard so she had to jump back in order to avoid being hit.

"I'll admit I've been taking it easy with you," Pipit grinned as he circled to her left "I didn't want to hurt you. I'm faster than you, and stronger."

"And cockier."

Zelda and Link glanced at each other, Zelda looking worried while Link looked intrigued. Eagus was watching with curious interest, and even Cawlin and Stritch had perked up. Pipit continued to strut in a circle around Karane, smirking at her determined expression.

"Well, let's get to it," he grinned. "Unless you're afraid to smear your lipstick or something."

Karane's eyes flashed, and she scrunched up her nose before feinting to the right and slicing at the open space where Pipit had been. He'd skipped out of the way and parried her next thrust before forcing himself into her guard. She was ready for it, she knew how to read him now. Karane threw her shield forward to knock him back. Pipit lazily swing at her, goading her to strike him, but Karane wasn't going to be toyed with.

"You going to fight me or not?" she asked.

"I am."

"Where are those Master Swordsman skills you've been working on? What are you saving them for?"

Pipit smirked. "You asked for it." He twirled the blade in one hand, then dramatically pirouetted into her next movement and slammed it into her shield. Feint to the left, step-step, then their blades were locked together. Pipit pushed back, Karane's feet dragging across the floor as he did, but she shifted right out of the lock they were in and he stumbled forward, giving her an opening to hit him across the hip when he passed and catch his retaliatory side swing on her shield.

Pipit scowled and threw his shield off in frustration and took the blade in two hands, coming at Karane in a series of quick movements that had her reeling backward. He spun again, but she caught his forward step with her foot and the blade of his sword against the hilt of hers. Pipit pressed his advantage, his two-handed grip against her single one, then in a fit of fury Karane threw her shield and gripped the hilt of her sword with both hands. She pushed upward into Pipit's face then drove her shoulder into his chest, sending him sprawling onto the floor.

"Nice!" Link cheered while Zelda clapped, then they both froze when Pipit sat up and smeared blood across his face with one hand.

"Goddess, save me! I'm so sorry, Pipit!" Karane wailed, dropping her sword and kneeling down next to him, hands at his jaw to hip his head back so she could examine the injury. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry!"

Eagus was laughing as he handed Pipit a towel. "Serves you right for getting so cocky," he said to Pipit. "Nice work, Karane. He was goading you, trying to wear you out but you caught onto it quick."

Zelda could tell Karane didn't hear a word Eagus was saying. Her face was white, eyes wide and horrified as Pipit pressed the towel to his bloody nose. "I'm so, so sorry."

Pipit looked at her. Not angrily, more like he'd never seen anything like her. He cleared his throat and got to his feet, shifting his tunic while still holding the towel over his face. "'M Fide," he assured her. "Nide job… you… I godda go…"

He hurried out of the Sparring Hall, passing a laughing Cawlin and Stritch as he went. Link looked at Eagus, who nodded towards the door and watched Link run out the hall after Pipit. Karane looked stricken, her face still white before she buried it in her hands.

"He'll be fine, nothing some ice won't help," Eagus assured her. "You did well, Karane. Take a few breaths. I want you to square up with Cawlin next. He needs the practice."

Karane nodded and picked up her sword, sighing heavily when Zelda walked to her side. "That's… one way to get his attention, I guess."

Karane groaned: "Goddess, I'm an idiot. He's going to hate me now."

Zelda shook her head. "No, he won't. Perhaps it'll have the opposite effect. I mean, he didn't like Peatrice because she's too passive and he broke up with me because- "

"He broke up with you because you were in love with Link."

"I'm not in love with- "

"Talk later," Karane said sharply as Cawlin came over, who looked nervously eager as he squared himself up. Karane stretched her neck side to side before repositioning her feet to face him. Though when Cawlin swung and Karane barely managed to block, Zelda knew she was not in the same high spirits she had been earlier.

* * *

"He wasn't mad at her," Link told Zelda later when she found him in his room stretched out on his bed. She sat on the bed opposite him, leaning against the wall with her legs stretched out and her feet by his shoulders. "He had a bloody nose and needed to wash up."

"I hope he finds her later to let her know that. She felt really bad."

"She shouldn't, he had it coming. He gets full of himself at times."

"I remember."

For some reason this made Link grin, color flooding his face as he stared at the ceiling. Zelda crawled up beside him and Link slid over on the bed to make room for her. She was thankful he didn't shy away from her presence this time as he had after she'd made a vague attempt to kiss him. The memory still stung, but she tried to ignore it, just like she tried to ignore the urge to kiss him now.

"You get along with Pipit better now than you did when we were going out," she noted.

Link pressed his lips together and his ears started to blend in with the redness on his cheeks. "You noticed that, huh?"

"It was hard not too."

"I didn't… fight with him or anything."

"No, I suppose not. But you weren't friendly. You always had a tone."

"Kind of like you did with Kina," he teased.

Zelda leaned up on her elbow, looking down at the mischievous grin Link had on his face. "She kind of tricked you into kissing her, so I had my-"

Link laughed. "She didn't trick me. I could have said no."

"And lost your clothes."

"Eh, I had shorts on thanks to Jakamar."

"Yes, he gave you shorts, but he gave everyone else little towels. He gave Groose nothing but a tea cosy."

"I remember," Link snickered. "Say, have you seen him today?"

"No."

"He pierced his ears. He was strutting around by the windmill earlier showing them off to Orielle and Peatrice."

"Did he say anything to you?"

Link shrugged. "Something about how his looked better than mine, but I didn't stop to talk.

Zelda pursed her lips. "Are you worried he'll hurt you?"

"I can hold my own against Groose if necessary."

"What about Karane?"

He tipped his head, considering this. "She's quick; it'd be a challenge."

"What about me?"

"You can out shoot me, we know that," he said, then his expression turned playful. "I could take you down."

"I'm stronger than I look," she glowered.

"But I'm still stronger. I can pick you up, remember?"

Zelda scrunched up her nose. She tried to tackle him but Link was too quick and rolled out of the way, laughing when she took his pillow and swatted him with it. She went to do it a second time and Link grabbed it, wrestling with her before he laughed and let her pin him back against the mattress. She could tell he was letting her because he wasn't straining. There was no tension in his hands as she gripped them, no fight in his arms when she pushed them on either side of his head. He laughed, red-faced and grinning up at her.

"You got me," he said fondly.

Zelda was warm all over, but in her chest was a new yet all to familiar sensation. An dull ache that tugged at her heart, pleasant and painful all at once. She'd felt this way about Link for years but only recently had it been so intense. Everything inside her wanted nothing more than thread her hands into his hair and kiss him until he was breathless. But she held back, knowing he wasn't in the same place she was for whatever reason.

Zelda released his hands, her chest aching as she did. Disappointment crossed Link's features, then his expression turned resigned and he sat up and ruffled the hair at the back of his head.

"I've… gotta run," he said, gesturing to the door. "I promised Kukiel I'd come over and play with her."

Zelda nodded, thinking it sweet the way Link always made time for Jakamar's little girl. "I suppose I should go finish up my dress," she sighed.

"Will you let me see it when you're done?"

Shivers again. Zelda took a breath to quell them and nodded. "Yes, of course."

Link grinned, and they said a brief goodbye a few minutes later, Zelda retreating upstairs to her room. She shut the door behind her and again flopped down on her bed, this time pulling her pillow against her chest and curling around to try and stifle the aching in her chest. She'd been lying there for a few minutes when Karane reached through the divider and patted her on the head.

"At least you didn't give him a bloody nose."

"Pipit's not mad at you."

"Yes, I… talked to him for a bit. But he … sort of wrote me off with that attitude he gets. The one where he tries to deflect things by talking about how noble he is and… I don't know."

"You should tell him. What could it hurt?"

"Yes, I'll try that, right after you get up to telling Link."

Zelda sighed. "I tried that last fall. He said he loves me because I'm his best friend."

"Isn't that why you love him?"

Zelda sat up, wiping the wetness off her cheeks "Yes, but it's different. He said he loves me because I'm his best friend. I love him _and_ he's my best friend. There's a difference."

Karane smiled gently. "Are you admitting you love him now?"

Zelda closed her eyes, the affection she felt earlier wrapping around her again like a blanket when she thought of Link. She couldn't say it out loud, all she could do was nod and let Karane squeeze her hand through the divider that separated them.

* * *

Color Day marked the halfway point between Spring and Summer, when the rains would slow and life would back to the island. The air was warm from the sun and trees were starting to bud, covering the island pathways with pink and white flower petals. The morning of the festival Zelda tied her hair back in green ribbons and painted her lips pink with gloss before rushing up the square, anxious to show Link her dress as she promised she would.

"What's up, Zelda?" Groose said when she arrived in the square, smoothing his new hairstyle dramatically to make sure she noticed it. It was impossible not to, the pompadour added three or four inches to his already ridiculous height.

Zelda scrunched her nose up. She wasn't impressed by Groose's hair or his attitude. Just last week he'd punched Link in the chest after finding a picture he sketched of Groose's head on the body of a Cucco. Pipit intervened because it was his fault Groose had noticed the image in the first place -after all, he'd been the one laughing at it.

"Hey, relax!" Pipit had said, pushing Groose back when he went to strike Link again. "It's a sketch! How many times have you made fun of Link for something, huh? Lighten up."

"You lighten up, short cuts. You and mop-top over there have got nothing on my style," Groose had snapped before walking off. Pipit shook his head while Link stood behind him, nursing the sore spot on his pectoral muscle before walking off with a frustrated expression on his face.

Zelda was watching Sir Albertos, Corvus, and Gawain set up their instruments to play the Maypole song when she heard Link calling out for her.

"Hey!" he said brightly, jogging across the square to where she was. He looked a little out of breath when he arrived and stared at her with an awed expression. "You… wow, Zelda."

"What?"

"You look, uh- Is that your new dress?"

"Oh, yeah," she beamed"I finished it last night. You like it?"

"Yeah, it's great. You look…" he trailed off, a hand in his hair as his cheeks flushed pink. "Really... nice."

"Thank you," she grinned, but didn't have time for much else because the music started to play and they had to begin skipping around the square for the first part of the dance. When the music slowed, they all walked forward and took a strand of ribbon, then looped arms and began to twirl around one another. Zelda first ended up with Fledge, who smiled nervously at her as they spun. She grinned encouragingly at him, and when they reversed directions she ended up arm in arm with Link, who didn't say anything but twirled her faster than Fledge or anyone else had, making her giggle with delight. When the dance was finished everyone cheered, Zelda hand in hand with Link as they admired their work. This year was a special as this pole would actually be placed in the Bazaar to replace one that had started weaken. Other years the Maypole was only displayed until the following Color Day, but this pole would become part of the island for years to come

The rest of the day was for feasting and exchanging gifts: baskets of flowers, fruit, or other treats were most common. Link and Zelda had already exchanged theirs, him giving her a small basket of chocolate and her repaired Loftwing while she presented him with a new tunic and a red obi. With this out of the way they decided to walk hand in hand around Skyloft as they often did, as they had done since they were children. When they were little, they talked about the best places to find bugs or what was inside the cave, now they talked about classes at school, the friends they had made besides each other, and what they were going to do after they became seniors.

"I want to help out around the island, somehow," Zelda said, not knowing how to explain everything she wanted. In truth, she wanted so much more than this island had to offer, but to her and everyone else's knowledge, this was all the goddess had given them. Still, that didn't mean she should give up on it. It was her home after all. "I want to make things better: the school, the Bazaar… the island as a whole."

"So, you want to be a Knight."

"But I don't want to fly around the island all day."

"So, you want your father's job," Link teased.

"I suppose, but he's not going to retire for a while."

"You could teach, or work a small job like Peatrice is in the Bazaar until you figure something else out."

"Peatrice only took that job to try to meet someone to marry," Zelda said, rolling her eyes. "Her pickiness is coming back to haunt her. She could have landed Pipit years ago had she gotten over her vanity."

Link shook his head. "He wouldn't have stuck it out. He's not into her at all now. He says he may not ever get married, like Albertos, unless he can find someone he's passionate about."

Zelda thought of Karane and her crush on Pipit. They were the only two from their year who'd moved on, and as such they studied together, sparred together, and sat in on meetings with the other Knights together. All this time together had brought them close, but Pipit seemed oblivious to Karane's attraction, treating her very much like a close friend whenever they were together. In many ways, they were just like herself and Link.

The only difference was Link often acted like a boyfriend to Zelda, holding her hand as they walked, slinging an arm playfully around her shoulders, letting her hug him whenever the urge struck. The line between friends and lovers had become so blurred Zelda often forgot where it was until she went to kiss Link, then she was abruptly and painfully reminded of it, either by her own panic or at Link's sudden withdrawal from the situation. He never fled like he had after the harvest festival, but he would grow tense and tremble if she came too close. The last thing Zelda wanted to do was kiss him when he wasn't ready for it.

After they'd returned to the square, Link approached Heron, Jay, and Albertos when they called for him, smiling at something they said before accepting a small glass of wine. Zelda understood how Link's closeness with several knights and people around the village could be interpreted as sucking up, but that wasn't the case at all. The three men he was speaking to now had all been close to Orel, and they were simply checking in on Link as his father would have wanted.

"Hey again, Zelda," Groose said, appearing behind her and distracting her casual observance of Link. She turned to find him holding a small basket, or perhaps the basket just looked small in his massive hands. "I got you this."

"Oh," she said, taking it from his outstretched hands. Inside were a few flowers and a card with a hand drawn image of himself. "Um, thank you?"

"Don't mention it. I wanted you to have something to remind you of me. I'm gonna be flying a lot more now, practicing for the Wing Race, so I won't be around as much. They've given me extra practice times and my dad and Heron are gonna work with me."

Zelda nodded, wondering why Heron would offer to help Groose when he'd been so close to Orel. She looked over to where Heron was sitting but Link wasn't beside them, or anywhere close by...

"It'll be good, and if you wanna run over the ceremony sometime I'd be glad to go over it with you. You'll have to know it inside and out since you're the Goddess this year."

Zelda had been searching the crowd for Link, not really listening to what Groose was saying, but the last sentence caught her off guard. "Wait, what did you say?"

"You'll have to know the ritual inside and out because you're the Goddess this year."

"I'm... what?" Zelda pressed, taken aback by this news. "How… how do you know? No one has even-"

"Well, it's not official, I guess, but my dad said it was pretty much a given seeing as how you're the only girl in our class and your dad brought it up with the Congress."

Zelda frowned, wishing her father would have at least asked her first if she'd like to play the Goddess. "I've gotta go now," she said, giving Groose a weak smile.

"Sure, I'll see you around, Zelda," Groose replied smugly before sauntering off in the opposite direction.

Zelda started to march back to the Academy with the intention of finding her father, but she slowed up when she caught a glance of Link talking to an older couple she didn't recognize. It was odd, not only because she knew everyone in the village and had since she was very young, but also because Link looked... uncomfortable. He had his arms folded over his chest and a frown on his face, which differed drastically from the polite interest he usually regarded people with, even if he wasn't familiar with them. She took a few steps closer, noticing the couple was older than her father, older than Rusta, and Henya even. The woman had a hard face and short brown hair while the man had thick hair the color of honey. Zelda also noticed his eyes were dark blue, very like Link's eyes, very much like Larke's had been…

She closed the distance between them and took Link by the elbow. "Are you okay?" she asked quickly.

"Oh, yes," he said, clearing his throat and looking relieved to see her. "I'm fine. I was about to head back to the dormitories. Should we go?" He took her hand in his and turned to walk away. The older man reached out and put a hand on Link's shoulder to stop him.

"Link, if you..." he started, then let out a long exhale and looked at the woman beside him. She regarded Link, eyes flicking between her and Zelda, a vague hint of recognition in them. The woman let it a heavy sig and put a hand on the man's shoulder, nodding once before looking to Link. The man released him and stepped back.

"Please take care of yourself," he said quietly. "I'm sure you've heard this before, but you look very like your mother when she was your age."

Link expression shifted into a sneer and Zelda tugged on his arm, wanting to get him away before he said or did she knew he'd later regret. "Hey, Link? We need to get going,"

"Right," Link huffed. He gave the man and woman a single nod before he turned and walked away, pulling Zelda behind him. Link stayed quiet until they got to the bridge, then dropped her hand and swore horribly for a few seconds before leaning against the railing and heaving a deep sigh.

"Were… were those your grandparents?" Zelda asked. Link nodded. She pressed her lips together to bite back her invasive questions, instead putting a comforting arm around Link's waist. He looked up at her, studying her face before scoffing and looking out into the sky.

"I don't know… details, but my dad told me once they were cruel to her, and my mom left home when she was sixteen because of it," He explained, answering her unspoken questions. "She stayed at the Academy, even during the summer. After she graduated she moved in with my dad and my uncle for a few months until our house was ready and they got married. That was the first time I'd ever met them and they just… came up to me and asked if I was Larke's son then started talking."

"I'm… so sorry," Zelda said lamely, unsure of how else to respond.

Link shrugged. "It's alright. I… Maybe I shouldn't be so upset. I just can't imagine anyone ever being cruel to their child, but especially to my mom. She was so…"

"Gentle? Good?" Zelda offered when Link struggled for a word. He nodded and looked out at the sky.

"Sometimes I learn things about them and... it feels like there's a lot they didn't tell me. I didn't know my dad's parents died in that fire until we learned about it in school, and I didn't understand anything about my mom's parents for years, only that she came home upset sometimes and she and my dad would go out to his work area to talk."

Zelda chewed her lip. "They probably were trying to protect you, or they didn't want you to worry about them. Perhaps they planned to explain it all later and… never got the chance."

Link nodded. "But it still makes me wonder what else they didn't tell me. My dad got into fights, he and my mom broke up for a while... Talon told me my Uncle used to take care of you and I sometimes when we were little."

"Now that you mention that, my dad said something last year about… about your uncle taking care of me after my mom died," she said, remembering overhearing her father talk to Talon under the bridge she and Link were standing on.

"My mom told me the three of them were close. I think they must have lived together or something," Link shrugged. Zelda chewed her fingers as she joined Link in staring off into the darkening sky.

"Your parents aren't the only ones who kept things from you," She grumbled. "My dad keeps things from me all the time, he's always been secretive. I don't think he would have ever talked to me about my mom if your dad hadn't brought her up when we were all sick. He still barely talks about her, and he never once told me about your uncle."

"Maybe he didn't want you to feel like you'd lost two parents," Link offered.

"Better to lose two parents then pretend these people who cared for me just… never existed. I want to know about Ugo, just like I want to know about my mother, and my father never tells me anything, even small things like that I'm playing the damned goddess this year. He didn't even-"

"You're playing the goddess?" Link asked, expression brightening.

"I'm not positive. I need to talk to him so I can figure all this out," she said, giving Link an apologetic look as she released him. He nodded then leaned closer to her, sending her heart racing when he did. There was a moment of hesitancy, then Link chewed his lip and finally looked up at her.

"I'll… see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, in the morning I'm sure," she sighed, giving his arm a squeeze before turning towards the Academy and heading inside, walking straight to her father's office. She knocked once before pushing the door open to find him sitting at his desk staring at a thick book. He looked up when she entered.

"Hello, dear," he said, giving her a warm smile. "I thought you'd be out with Link."

Zelda sat down in the chair in front of his desk. "I was, but… he ran into Larke's parents at the festival."

Her father pursed his lips and sighed, a vague look of concern on his face. "I wondered if that might happen at some point. Is Link alright?"

"He didn't say much, but it upset him. He says he feels like his parents kept things from him," she explained, watching her father nod. "I told him I know what that feels like since you hide things from me all the time."

"Zelda, I..." her father replied, narrowing his eyes a bit. "I don't keep anything serious-"

She leapt on the attack. "Am I playing the Goddess this year?"

Her father sat up taller, clearly taken aback. "It hasn't been made official yet, but... yes, that's likely. How did you-"

"Why didn't you ask me if I wanted to?"

"I assumed you would prefer that to competing in the wing race," he said, sinking in his chair a bit. "I should have asked you, I'm sorry."

Zelda huffed and folded her arms across her chest. "That's not the only thing you've kept from me. Tell me about Ugo. I overheard you talking to Talon last year, saying that the Goddess has taken everyone from you, that Orel and Larke filled the gaps that my mother and Ugo would have. And Link just told me Talon said Ugo took care of me as a baby. Where were _you_?"

Her father's eyes widened then he buried his face in his hands for a moment before sitting up, keeping one hand pressed against his forehead as he spoke "I was there, of course. We both took care of you. Your mom-"

"Did my mom know about you two? Was she... friends with Ugo? Why… why didn't _I_ know this? You keep all these secrets from me. She was my mother, and I didn't know until last year that she had a flag on the line! And what about Ugo? What was he? Why haven't you ever-"

"Zelda, slow down," her father said. "You need to give me a chance to explain."

"You've had seventeen years to explain!" Zelda shouted. "Orel and Larke could have told me too, but they never did said anything. Did the three of you make some pact to hide-"

"Zelda, we… we never hid anything from the two of you, not... intentionally," he sighed, running a hand over his head. "I can't speak for Orel and Larke, but I-"

"Haven't been nearly as forthcoming as you could be," Zelda continued. "You've taken me to Congress hearings and have had me sit in on meetings with Owlan and Horwell. You said you want me to be prepared to be a leader someday, but you won't trust me with basic facts about my childhood. If you left out all that about my mother, and never told me I had a second father, what _else_ haven't you told me?"

Her father pressed his lips together, struggling with himself before his expression turned strangely resolved. He stood slowly and pressed a fist into the wood on his desk, and for a moment Zelda thought he looked older somehow. Like he'd suddenly aged right before her eyes.

"Zelda, I want you to come with me," he said quietly. "There's something I've meant to show you, and I think… I think it's time."

* * *

She stood in a temple, surrounded by gray stone walls, the light filtering in through cracks in the ceiling. There was a rounded dais and a large staircase behind it that led to a room flooded with light. It leaked through a crack in the door, and when she moved closer Zelda could hear the hum energy singing in her ears…

 _Zelda_ …

The whisper came from outside. She turned and followed the sound through stone doors and out to a tiered pit, the pathway leading down to a flat center. Her heart began to race, part of her wanting to flee from the danger she sensed while another part pushed her forward. Her skin started to glow, dripping from her hair and blotting out the specks of darkness that floated up from the pit below...

"Zelda?" Karane said, grabbing her arm and shaking her gently. " _Hey_ , Zelda... are you alright?"

Karane's touch brought her back to reality. Zelda inhaled sharply; she was in the dining hall, not alone in some stone temple. Her breakfast was on a plate in front of her, and Karane was across the table looking concerned, her hand gentle against Zelda's forearm.

"Sorry," Zelda breathed. "I… I got distracted for a second."

"For a long second," Karane noted. "I've been talking to you for at least a minute while you stared out the window."

"I'm sorry. Say, did you hear anyone… call for me? I swore I heard someone call for me."

Karane pursed her lips. "I didn't hear anything, Zelda. Are you sure you're alright? You've been… very distracted lately."

Zelda grimaced apologetically; she knew Karane was right. Ever since her father had taken her to the Isle of the Goddess and shown her the antechamber hidden underneath it, she'd been able to think of little else. By doing this, he'd officially inducted Zelda into a line of prophecy keepers that had existed since Skyloft was first founded. Generation after generation, some Knights of Hylia and some not, all passing down the same story from father to son and mother to daughter. After he'd told her the legends of the sword held within the chamber, and the prophecy that had yet come to pass, her father had forbidden her from telling Link, Karane, or anyone else about it until they were knighted, and perhaps not even then.

"It's just this ceremony," Zelda lied. "It's got my feathers all ruffled."

"Do you have the sailcloth finished?" Karane asked, and Zelda nodded. "And your dress? You've learned the song and I've heard you play that harp, it's beautiful. What's there to worry about?"

Zelda let out a long sigh and glanced down the hall. "Getting Link to the top of that statue."

Karane scrunched her nose up and patted Zelda's hand. "That's not on you, exactly."

"It hasn't stopped me from worrying about it," Zelda mumbled, thinking of her vaguely formed plans for Link after the ceremony. Perhaps he and Zelda could fly to the island of pretty flowers, or the one he'd found with a cave and a small pool of water. Just somewhere away from Skyloft, where they could be alone for a bit. She had made her decision. Zelda was going to tell Link how she felt; that for months he'd been on her mind and it had nothing to do with their friendship.

She thought of him all the time because she was, as he said, his Zelda. She had been for as long as she could remember. He was her partner, her Link, and it was silly for them to keep pretending they were anything else. All Zelda wanted to do was get him alone, say the words, and hopefully find out at last what it would feel like to have her fingers in his hair and his lips against hers.

But before she could enact these plans, Zelda had to pretend to be Hylia for a while.

Prior to this year, she'd always assumed the role of the goddess was the simpler part of the ceremony. She supposed it was in a way; she didn't have a race to compete in, but there were a plethora of tasks she'd been assigned in preparation for the Wing Ceremony and the Feast of Fire festival that followed.

The first task was crafting a sailcloth for the winner of the race with a special thread that only the Knights used. When woven into the cloth, it enabled the bearer to catch the wind and float down from the sky without fear of falling. Zelda thought of all the sailcloths she saw around the island, ones passed down through families and worn as accessories, like the small one she now wore around her waist that had belonged to Ugo.

Her father had given it to her the same night he told her of the prophecy, apologizing for keeping the existence of a third parent to her hidden all these years. The cloth still looked brand new even though it had been passed to Ugo from his father. She'd offered it to Link initially, but he told her he told her she should keep it.

"If they were as close as it sounds, I think he'd want you to have it," he'd said with a smile. After that, they'd spent the evening talking about what their lives would have been like had her mother and Ugo lived, wondering if they would still be close or would they have gotten sick of each other at some point.

"I could never get sick of you," Zelda assured him. Link had laughed but gave her no response, which made Zelda's stomach twist nervously. "Do you ever get sick of me?"

"If I do, I go take a nap."

"But… you take a nap almost every day," she said, dismayed, and when he snickered at her she swatted him on the shoulder "You're a featherhead."

"You know I'm teasing," Link said, leaning his head on her shoulder. "You're my Zelda, of course I don't get sick of you. I'm not sure what I'd do without you if I'm honest."

"Well, perhaps you'll find out when you ditch me to take a nap again!" she'd teased back.

The second task she had was to memorize the ceremonial prayer song, either to sing or to play on an instrument. Singing would have been easiest, but there was something familiar about the harp her father had shown her so she'd done both. Her father arranged for her to take lessons every morning with Sir Albertos, who was the oldest and most experienced musician on Skyloft.

"I hope you keep playing after all this, Zelda. So many people give it up quickly and it would be nice to have more music around," he said to her when she stopped in after finishing up breakfast with Karane. "I still can't believe how well you took to it, like you'd been playing that harp for ages already."

"Thank you," Zelda smiled, strumming the delicate strings, playing a slow version of Hylia's favorite song, or so the legends said.

"Who do you think will win the race tomorrow?" he asked casually.

Zelda pondered the question. "Well, Link promised me he would win," she said, wishing she could say it with more confidence. The boys in her class had been given extra time to work with their Loftwings since the Color Day festival, and Heron and Owlan had approached Link personally, both offering to work with him one on one. To Zelda's chagrin, Link had politely declined saying he and his Loftwing would figure it out on their own.

"He certainly has a shot," Albertos said thoughtfully. "That bird of his really is something special, though he's taking the training much less seriously than Orel did."

"You were Orel's mentor, weren't you?"

"Yes, and if Link is knighted, I will be his mentor as well," he said with a smile. "When he was a child, Orel asked me if I'd mentor him when he became a knight."

"I'm sure Link will appreciate anything you can teach him."

"He's a good lad. He may look like his mother, but he's got his father's wit and propensity for daydreaming, that is certain," Albertos laughed gently. "I thought a great deal of Orel, and of Ugo as well. It's the least I can do."

"Does Link know he'll be your squire?"

"He does. I encouraged him to use the course more, but all I ever see him doing is gliding about on that Crimson bird and daydreaming, though daydreams aren't his only distraction."

"Oh?"

Albertos gave her an amused look. "Oh, _no_. All times I've had him over for dinner, all he talks about is you."

Zelda blushed and Albertos laughed before wishing her luck on the statue tomorrow. There was a double meaning in the words that filled Zelda with anticipation. The tension between her and Link had gotten so thick the last few weeks it was almost unbearable. There were moments she got close to him, an arm around his shoulders or her fingers looped through his, and Link would become so flustered he started to stutter again and made up some excuse to leave the conversation. Other times he'd sling his arm over her shoulder or hug her so tightly Zelda was left sputtering and blushing when he released her.

There had been a few instances where they'd started to lean in, but they were usually interrupted by something or someone and Zelda had almost wondered if the Goddess herself was trying to keep them apart. They'd had a moment like this the other day when Zelda had found Link carrying her father's remlit down the hall.

"She was curled in your ugly blanket," he explained. "I didn't want her to tear it, so I got one of my old ones to give her."

"I still think that's the same remlit that attacked me. She showed up the day after it happened. I'm on to you, _Mia_ ," Zelda said, pointing a finger at the remlit while she curled into Link's shoulder. "I've got a scar on my leg from your little tantrum. Don't think I've forgiven you yet."

Link laughed. "Maybe she came because she's sorry."

"As well she should be," Zelda grumbled. Link set her down and Mia curled herself around Zelda's legs, mewing softly as she did. "You stay in here, stay out of my room."

"She likes you, Zelda," Link said, throwing his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. "It's impossible not to." Zelda had giggled, but then Link's hand slid to the small of her back and he looked at her, blue eyes studying her face, his lips parted slightly. Zelda had leaned towards him but Groose and Cawlin came out of nowhere and started mocking Link for something he'd done while sparring.

"Hey, Zelda," Groose said, shoving Link away from Zelda as he passed. "I wouldn't hang around this loser too long, Zelda. See, he's training to be a dancer now instead of a knight." Groose twirled a delicate circle while Cawlin laughed hysterically.

After Zelda left Albertos, her next task for the day was to find the competitors and make sure they understood the basic instructions for the ceremony. When the race was finished, they were to fly to the statue of the Goddess for the beginning of the ceremony, which she would lead. All they had to do was show up and kneel.

Fledge was her first stop. She wanted to give him some encouragement after Link had told her how nervous he was. However, at first mention of the race, Fledge admitted shortly that he wasn't planning on flying at all, but that he didn't want to tell Link.

"I'm afraid he'll spend time convincing me to race, rather than practicing himself!" Fledge explained.

Stritch was next, but that too was a quick visit. He told Zelda he was only competing because his parents expected it of him. If he didn't make it beyond this year he would not be upset, and when Zelda asked what he planned to do after school, he said something about collections before wandering off.

Cawlin was a different story. Zelda found him in the Bazaar late in the afternoon, watching Karane and Piper talk as he waited for his soup. When Zelda brought up the ceremony, he started probing her about it, wanting to know what criteria he'd be judged on if he didn't win and if she had any insight on his chances.

"Cawlin, I don't know anything. No one is given favoritism, you know that."

"Except you and kiss-ass," he grumbled. "I see Albertos and Heron talking to him- "

"Link is not a _kiss-ass_. Heron and Albertos were close with his dad _and_ his uncle. And I _never_ get preferential treatment. My dad grounded me when I punched Groose, remember?"

"Yeah, whatever. How old is the nestling? Has Parrow been helping to train it like they did last year? Are there any tricks I should know about?"

"I said I don't know anything, Cawlin. I only want to make sure-"

"Some Goddess you are. At least Peatrice was friendly... and cute," he snapped before getting up from the table he'd been at. When he turned around Link was standing by the steps that led to Piper's restaurant, eyes narrowed angrily. He scowled at Cawlin as he passed then came to sit down across from Zelda.

"Ignore him, you're doing great. You've put so much into this-"

"Have _you_?" Zelda asked, sounding angrier than she felt. "Shouldn't you be flying?"

"I just got done flying," he frowned. "I went through the obstacle course and everything. My bird and I are fine. I trust him and he trusts me. He knows me better than anyone."

"Better than me?"

Link gave her a smile, but when Zelda continued to scowl he pouted. "He knows me well enough to _trust_ me."

Zelda felt herself blush. "You're right. I'm sorry. I do trust you but… perhaps you should run through it again? Just in case?"

"I will, but... Fledge said you talked to him and Stritch, and you were just talking to Cawlin, so I wanted to see if there's anything you-"

"Hey, Runt," Groose grunted, strolling up to where they were sitting and folding his arms over his chest. "Shouldn't you be taking a nap? Zelda asked _me_ to meet her here. Get lost."

Link turned to Zelda, his eyebrows raised. She glared at Groose before giving Link a reassuring smile. "I'll find you later, okay?"

Link nodded, but scowled at Groose.. Zelda reached across the table, and gave his hand a squeeze. "Really, Link, I'll find you later." That seemed to diffuse the tension, though Link passed a final cold look at Groose before leaving the diner.

When Zelda looked up at Groose, he had turned back to her with a smirk. "Why do you take care of him all the time?"

"I don't take care of him" Zelda said. "He only came over because Cawlin said something mean and he wanted to see if-"

"What'd he say? I'll flatten him for you."

"It doesn't matter," she said with a sigh.

"Nah, come on. Tell Groose what's bothering you."

Zelda looked at him, his genuine interest relaxing her enough that the words just spilled out. Quietly, she explained what had happened, running her fingers through her hair before putting her face in her hands.

"I've been putting so much effort into this. I… I want it to be perfect for...whoever wins," she added, holding back Link's name. "It's special, it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing and I want to do everything I can to have it run smoothly."

Groose smiled kindly, the first she'd ever gotten from him. "Hey, it'll be alright. Anyone can see how hard you've been working and if that loser doesn't appreciate it, then you should just shove him off the island."

"I'm going to assume you're talking about Link," she muttered. "He appreciates it, he appreciates everything-."

"Yeah, sure, but listen... I guarantee you the person that gets to the top of that statue will appreciate you. You said the other day you're working on a new dress and I bet it's pretty. It'd really be something if… the person who was going to win the race was the first person to see you in it, kind of like a wedding. I bet… yeah, that would be nice," he said, trailing off and giggling to himself.

Zelda thought about this, wondering how she could get Link alone before the ceremony. It would be special for him to see her in the dress she made, and she could give him some encouragement before the race, make sure he got in a few minutes of practice time to warm up. Maybe she could even give him a kiss for good luck…

She leapt to her feet. "You've just given me a great idea, Groose, thank you!"

"Don't mention it. Anything I can do to- hey, where you going?" Groose asked when Zelda began to walk away. "I thought you wanted to talk about something."

"Oh, right… right," Zelda said, pressing her hand against her forehead to stifle her racing thoughts. "Yes, well, I'm sure you understand everything for tomorrow."

Groose scoffed. "Yeah, I got it. Piece of cake. My bird and I have got this down, not a problem for us."

He nodded at her as though this was an end to the discussion, then stroked the crest of his pompadour while giving her a toothy grin. "I'll see you in the morning," Groose said smoothly. Zelda just rolled her eyes and went off in search of search for Link.

When she couldn't find him right away, she'd thought he'd taken her advice and gone flying around the obstacle course again. But then she spied his Loftwing floating around the Goddess Statue with hers she knew that wasn't the case. She whistled for Blue and the red Loftwing came down to join him at her side. It made her feel good they were getting along now. For a while she'd thought the two birds were going to fight when Link's bird kept bringing her gifts and performing his mating dance for her. Zelda had wondered if the Loftwing was trying to say what Link couldn't. The thought made her giggle a bit.

"Have you seen Link?" She asked the red Loftwing while Blue curled around her affectionately. Link's bird closed his eyes, then turned towards the dormitories and clicked his beak. "Did the two of you go flying earlier?"

The Loftwing cooed and stretched his neck and wings like he was stiff and tired. Zelda laughed. "Don't be dramatic. I know he hasn't been working you _that_ hard."

Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw Blue smirk. The red Loftwing lowered his head, looking a bit sheepish. Zelda reached forward to stroke his feathers. "You will have to work hard tomorrow, though. You need to get him on top of the statue… he _has_ to win."

The red bird looked her then, yellow eyes studying her curiously. He was still young, but something about his eyes seemed older than the island. As the bird stared at her, Zelda heard a voice in her head, the same one she'd heard this morning, the one she'd heard for weeks now.

 _Zelda, it is time. The earth moves and the skies shudder..._

She shivered, looking around to confirm the voice had been in her head and not someone speaking. If she didn't know any better, she would have sworn Link's bird was... talking to her.

 _He will awaken soon… it is time._

The crimson Loftwing turned to Blue and clicked his beak again before spreading his purple rippled wings and taking to the skies. Zelda looked at Blue, wondering if he could offer any explanation, but he chuffed quietly and curled his beak around her shoulders. Zelda patted him and tipped her head into his neck.

"I've got to go," she said. "I'm going to talk to Link."

Blue cooed softly then butted his head against hers, opening his wings to join Link's Loftwing as he flew off towards the Thunderhead. Zelda watched them disappear into the distance, then walked to the Academy, finding Link inside the classroom on the first floor, stretched out with his eyes closed, legs stretched out and propped up on the front row of desks. Zelda couldn't help but marvel at his familiar features, then she realized they were sitting in the first place they had ever met.

She sat down on the desk where Link's legs were, content to watch him doze for a few moments. Zelda leaned closer and smiled when she realized Link snored softly, not loud enough to be annoying, just enough that there was a faint rattle in his throat. He smelled like the wind, and the soap from the academy showers. Zelda wanted to curl up against him, her head against his chest and his arms around her waist, but she settled for leaning so close her cheek brushed his and her lips were against his ear when she spoke.

"Hey, sleepyhead."

Link blinked his eyes open, inhaling sharply at her proximity. Zelda didn't shy away and to her shock, neither did he. They stared at each other, blue eyes against bluer eyes. Zelda was again filled with an affection for him that felt so much older than she was. His face was so familiar to her; she'd known him her whole life, sometimes it felt like longer. He was hers, and she was his.

"Hey," Link said a few seconds later, his lips parted invitingly when he sat up. The urge to kiss him rose so sharply in Zelda it was almost painful, but she swallowed it down, wanting to wait until tomorrow when everything else was out of the way.

"Taking Groose's words literally?" Zelda asked, breaking the tension in the air between them.

"Groose? Oh, yeah. I um… what were you talking to him about, anyway?"

"The same thing I wanted to talk to you about, making sure he knew everything he needed to know for tomorrow."

"Oh, right," Link said, ruffling his hair. Zelda reached out to push Link's bangs to the side of his forehead. He trembled when she touched him. "Is there anything I need to know?" he asked.

She smiled and shook her head. "You just show up, I lead a prayer, you kneel and I give you a sailcloth."

Link nodded. "Right. Got it."

"You sure?" Zelda said. "Why don't you meet me under the Goddess Statue in the morning? You can get in some extra practice time, I can wish you good luck…"

"Yeah, I can do that. That… that'll be good."

Zelda nodded, dropping her eyes to fixate on her fingers as they twisted in her lap. "Link?"

"Yes?"

"You've got to make it onto that statue tomorrow."

He sat up, sliding closer to her. "I will. I'll try my hardest."

"No, don't try. Do more than try. This isn't… this is everything you've trained for. I know you can do it, so don't let me down. I know we joked about pushing Groose off if I was up there with him, but please, _please_ don't leave me up there with Groose, or goddess forbid Cawlin."

Link laughed and took her hand in his, examining her fingers carefully. "I won't, Zelda. I'll make it up there."

"And you'll meet me in the morning for some extra practice?"

Link nodded, threading his fingers through hers and squeezing tightly. Zelda's heart fluttered, tendrils of warmth flowing from her chest and down her arms to where their fingers were intertwined. Link smiled crookedly at her, nodding his head a single time before he spoke.

"I promise."

* * *

This is the final official chapter! Tomorrow I will upload the epilogue and in two weeks begin the 2nd part of the story, which begins with Zelda waking up on the surface. I hope to see people follow me through the next part and I appreciate every single comment or message I've received. It means the world. Author's Notes will be on my tumblr tomorrow hopefully. Thank you for your support!


	14. Epilogue: The Darkened Sky

Epilogue: The Darkened Sky

* * *

Pipit snatched Karane by the hand, sending her heart flying, and together they raced over the bridge towards the Isle of the he released it again however, separating from her as they reached their destination, her spirits plummeted.

`Not that Pipit seemed to notice. "I can't believe the Headmaster is still letting him race,' he grumbled.

"I suppose they don't have any hard proof," Karane said. "And Goddess knows, if he showed any sort of favoritism towards Link, Groose's father would- "

"Groose is a cheater. What he did was dirty and cowardly. He shout beat Link in the air fairly, not by hiding his Loftwing," he muttered. "Zelda said Link's bird was alright?"

"Yes, the bird was fine. Link jumped on him and flew around for a bit before they rang the bell to call everyone down."

By then they'd reached the Plaza, stopping behind where Zelda and her classmates were lined up. Even little Keet had come over from Pumpkin Island to watch with Kina. They were standing next to Orielle and Parrow waiting for everything to start. Karane thought it strange that Zelda was still waiting because usually the Goddess went to the statue ahead of time to watch the race.

"Isn't she supposed to go up?" Karane asked Pipit.

"That's what Peatrice did, and everyone else as far as I know. But you know Zelda. She has her own way of doing things."

Karane nodded, chewing her fingers nervously. If it were Karane in Zelda's shoes, she would have kissed Link weeks ago, or even last night when they were in the classroom together. Zelda had come into her room, breathless and red faced, telling her how she'd basically kissed Link on the ear to wake him up and that they'd stared at each other for the longest time before promising to meet in the morning before the race.

"He promised me, Karane," she said. "He's going to win tomorrow. I know it. Then I can kiss him and we can just…finally be together."

"You could have done that now, wouldn't it have been easier?" she'd asked, but Zelda shook her head. She wanted it to be special, something they would remember forever. The whole thing was a little dramatic for Karane's taste, but if it made Zelda happy she was all for it, especially if it put an end to her and Link's mutual pining.

Of course, she really couldn't criticize Zelda for that. Especially not now as she stood next to Pipit, wanting nothing more than to loop her arms around his neck and kiss him until he was dizzy. She could work up the nerve to hit him with a sword, but kissing him, or even asking him out… the courage to do that still evaded her.

Owlan sent the little yellow Loftwing into the air, then a second later blew an ear splitting whistle. The boys leapt off the island, Link immediately taking the lead on his bright red Loftwing. They headed east at first, then the nestling looped around and flew towards the obstacle course the knights had put up for practice. Zelda raced beside them along the edge of the island, her expression panicked as she watched Link and Groose reach for the statue at the same time. The nestling looped backward and both the boys over shot their target before arcing around to follow.

"Aren't you supposed to be on top of the statue?" Karane asked as she, Pipit, Orielle and Parrow all jogged after her on the path.

"To hell with the statue! I can't see anything from up there!" she shouted back. "Oh, look! Did he get it?"

For a split second it looked like Link was going to claim victory, but then Groose's bird crashed into him and sent Link's Loftwing spiraling out of control. The bird caught itself and Link urged it forward with a fierce shout.

"I can hear Link swearing from here," Pipit laughed as they changed directions again. The nestling had started to rise higher after Groose had almost grabbed the statue off its foot. The bird seemed to be teasing him, dangling the statue just out of reach before taking a sharp dive that Groose and his black monster of a Loftwing had no chance of following.

They'd run past the light tower when Karane heard the Headmaster let out a stream of curses under his breath. "Is that Cawlin throwing _eggs_?" He asked Owlan.

"I'm afraid so."

"Hylia, curse it," he glowered, though Karane couldn't hear what he said next for the sound of Zelda gasping and shouting next to her.

"Oh, he was so close! _Come_ _on_ , Link!"

"Maybe he's still reeling from being shoved off the island this morning," Pipit teased.

"You stop, I feel so awful about that. I had no idea his bird was locked up, I honestly thought he was skirting practicing."

"How's your bird?"

"He's fine. Tired still but he- _Oh_! _Does he_ \- "

"He's got it!" Karane said gleefully as she saw the Crimson Loftwing swoop under the yellow nestling and Link snatch the green figurine from it's claws. She clapped while Pipit whistled in praise and Zelda shrieked in delight.

" _HE HAS IT!_ _He did it!_ Oh, he's going to be a knight!" She grabbed Pipit by the elbows and shook him then used Karane's shoulders as a boost so she could jump high the air before she ran to the edge of the platform. Karane and everyone else followed her.

"Link!" Zelda cried, her harp curled against her chest as she waved wildly. " _LINK_!"

"Zelda, don't jump!" Karane shouted simultaneously with Zelda's father. It was too late. Zelda dove off the platform head first and Link barely made it to catch her in his outstretched arms. The Crimson Loftwing sank for a moment, then recovered, screeching joyfully as they flew off toward the Goddess statue. Zelda's Blue followed after them, leaving everyone on the platform behind.

"That was exciting," Pipit said. "It's different being on the other side, isn't it?"

"It was shorter than our race," Orielle noted. "It felt like ours went on forever."

"Well, we had a fairer competition," Pipit said. "I don't care how hard Groose and the others practiced, there was no way they were going to catch that red terror Link has, which is why they had to resort to cheating."

"Yes, well," the Headmaster said, having overheard their conversation as they passed. "Link certainly won't have to worry about them. None of them are graduating up. Cawlin and Stritch don't have the grades and Groose doesn't have the chivalry or sportsmanship."

Pipit grimaced. "I'm sure Cregger-"

"Will be perfectly fine with it if he wants his son to sit another year or remain at the Academy period," the Headmaster muttered. "I have put up with enough bullying and poor conduct from those boys. Having a knight for a father doesn't make you special. Link knew that and it's high time Groose learned as well."

He sighed then and looked towards the statue, smiling a little to himself. "Pass my congratulations onto Link, would you? I expect it will be awhile before I see him," he chuckled.

Pipit nodded, smirking at Karane when the Headmaster was out of range. "I assume Zelda has some grand plan to get things going with him finally?"

"They _still_ haven't gotten together?" Kina said from beside Orielle. Behind her Little Keet looked worried, and Karane wondered how many boys on this stupid island were feather stepping around their obvious feelings for certain girls. Link had been doing it, Groose as well, and apparently Keet had yet to clue Kina in to why he'd taken a job for her father and spent every second with her. Though, by the hopeful look on Kina's face at hearing Link and Zelda had yet to start dating, Karane could tell the torch she carried for Link was still burning.

"Not yet," Pipit confirmed, eyes flicking toward Karane's for a second. "But he's had it bad for her since before she and I dated, probably since before he dated you, Kina. It's going to happen."

Kina scrunched her nose up. "Yeah, I know. Well, tell him I said congrats as well. Should we go, Keet? My dad probably needs us to get back."

"Yeah, yeah… sure," Keet said quietly, following Kina as she walked to the end of the platform. Karane watched them fly off then followed after Pipit as he started to walk towards the Goddess statue.

"If you knew Link had a thing for Zelda, why did you go out with her?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I liked her, and he _told_ me he didn't like her that way so I believed him."

"Come on, Pipit. Don't tell me you didn't know he was lying."

"I honestly didn't. Zelda told me a few times I'm not good at reading people, maybe that's why I didn't pick up on it."

Karane pursed her lips, thinking there was some truth to Zelda's words. As gentlemanly as he was, Pipit could be blunt and obtuse. How many hours had they spent together over this last year? Sparring with each other, sitting alone in class, studying together… she'd dropped so many hints as to how well they got along and how great she thought he was, but he never returned anything more than compliments. She was going to have to be blunt if she wanted to get anywhere with him.

"Hey, um… what are you doing now?" she asked as they walked.

Pipit shrugged. "Nothing much. Heron wanted me to stop by and talk about some stuff for graduation. Has Chenya talked to you?"

"We've been working together some, but she said Manu or Eagus was going to mentor me."

Pipit blanched at this. "They're going to put you with Manu or Eagus? Why?"

"Why not?"

"Well… I just... I don't _know_. Chenya is good why wouldn't they-"

"Probably because she and Gondo are getting married this summer and might try for a baby soon," Karane said, observing the conflicted look on Pipit's face. A jolt of excitement raced through her. "Why? Does it bother you that I'd be paired with another man?"

"It doesn't _bother_ me. I just… want you to have the best. You deserve that. You're really talented and… you're going to be great. I want to make sure they put you with someone who- Did Zelda just push Link off the statue?"

"She did _what_?"

Karane barely had time to register what was happening before Link pulled out the sailcloth Zelda had made and floated gracefully to the center of the stone dais. He looked a little bewildered, but it quickly passed when Zelda and Blue landed next to them. Pipit was still snickering.

"She pushed him, like actually _pushed_ him."

"Hylia, save me," Karane groaned. "She must have gotten nervous or something. I can't understand why else… well, clearly he isn't angry about it," she added, noting the smile Link had on his face now. Zelda was blushing, her hands folded together by her waist while she mumbled something so quietly Link had to step closer to hear her.

"Yeah, they're going to be busy for a while. I'll congratulate him later." Pipit laughed before he turned back to her. Their eyes locked and his expression went a little strained, then he sighed. "I'll… see you around, Karane."

Karane wanted to speak but hesitated, debating on chasing after him to see if he wanted to go for a flight around the clouds, or hang out, or find some place quiet and make out…

By the time she worked up the courage to ask, it was too late. Pipit had called for his green bird and taken off into the sky. Karane walked dejectedly back to her room, planning to knit as a distraction until Zelda came back to tell her all about her afternoon with Link.

She'd barely gotten settled and started looping thread around the needles when there was a horrible commotion in the hall. Karane opened the door, watching in shock as Pipit, Eagus, and Albertos carried a limp and unconscious Link through the door and downstairs. The Headmaster and Owlan raced after them and Karane followed, surprised Zelda wasn't hot on their heels.

"What happened?" Zelda's father shouted. "How was he injured?"

"We don't know," Albertos said, a little breathless. "I saw his bird carrying him back, and when I landed in the Plaza he was already out."

"Eagus?"

Eagus shook his head. "He was unconscious when his bird landed. It was screeching at him and kept pointing its beak to the south east. I.. I don't-"

"He's got a pulse, but I can't tell much else," Owlan said, fingers pressed against Link's throat and eyes on the watch at his wrist. "Did he mumble or say anything?"

"No," Eagus said, looking at Pipit who nodded in agreement. "Like we said, his Loftwing was screaming and… we don't know what happened."

"Zelda was with him, she would know," Karane interjected. "Did you ask her?"

Albertos looked to Eagus, who shook his head then turned to Karane. "Zelda… she wasn't with him."

"What do you mean she wasn't with him? Where is she?" the Headmaster asked. "Karane, are you sure-"

"I'm sure," she breathed. "They were under the statue and… they left together, didn't they? She was with him, I know it."

"She's right, I saw them fly off together," Pipit agreed. "But… she wasn't with him when his bird came in. And I haven't… I didn't see her Loftwing anywhere"

Zelda's father went as white as his hair and turned to Eagus and Albertos with a frantic expression.

"Where's my daughter?" he asked, and when neither of them responded he looked to Link's prone figure then back to the knights who'd brought him in. " _Where's my daughter_?!"

* * *

Author's Notes for the last chapter and some of the epilogue can be found on my tumblr, along with an in-progress side story about Link's parents and a few one shots related to this work. Thank you so much for all the comments. I still haven't named the next part but hopefully I'll have a name soon. It should be posted in roughly two weeks. Hope to talk with more of you there and I again cannot thank everyone for all the praise and support, it's meant a lot as I've finished this story.


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